Thenweenteredonthegreatcausewayofstonebuiltlikearoadrestingonthewaters，andwiththeafternoonwecametothetownofCuitlahuac。
ThencewepassedontoIztapalapan，andhereGuatemocwouldhaverestedforthenightintheroyalhouseofhisuncleCuitlahua。
ButwhenwereachedthetownwefoundthatMontezuma，whohadbeenadvisedofourapproachbyrunners，hadsentordersthatweweretopushontoTenoctitlan，andthatpalanquinshadbeenmadereadytobearus。
Soweenteredthepalanquins，andleavingthatlovelycityofgardens，wereborneswiftlyalongthesoutherncauseway。
Onwewentpasttownsbuiltuponpilesfixedinthebottomofthelake，pastgardensthatwerelaidoutonreedsandfloatedoverthewaterslikeaboat，pastteocallisandglisteningtempleswithoutnumber，throughfleetsoflightcanoesandthousandsofIndiansgoingtoandfroabouttheirbusiness，tillatlengthtowardssunsetwereachedthebattlementedfortthatiscalledXolocwhichstandsuponthedyke。
Isaystands，butalas！itstandsnomore。
Corteshasdestroyedit，andwithitallthosegloriouscitieswhichmyeyesbeheldthatday。
AtXolocwebegantoenterthecityofTenoctitlanorMexico，themightiestcitythateverIhadseen。
Thehousesontheoutskirts，indeed，werebuiltofmudoradobe，butthoseinthericherpartswereconstructedofredstone。
Eachhousesurroundedacourtyardandwasinturnsurroundedbyagarden，whilebetweenthemrancanals，havingfootpathsoneitherside。
Thenthereweresquares，andinthesquarespyramids，palaces，andtempleswithoutend。
I
gazedonthemtillIwasbewildered，butallseemedasnothingwhenatlengthIsawthegreattemplewithitsstonegatewaysopeningtothenorthandthesouth，theeastandthewest，itswallcarveneverywherewithserpents，itspolishedpavements，itsteocallisdeckedwithhumanskulls，thousandsuponthousandsofthem，anditsvastsurroundingtianquez，ormarketplace。
Icaughtbutaglimpseofitthen，forthedarknesswasfalling，andafterwardswewereborneonthroughthedarkness，Ididnotknowwhither。
AwhilewentbyandIsawthatwehadleftthecity，andwerepassingupasteephillbeneaththeshadowofmightycedartrees。
PresentlywehaltedinacourtyardandhereIwasbiddentoalight。
ThentheprinceGuatemocledmeintoawondroushouse，ofwhichalltheroomswereroofedwithcedarwood，anditswallshungwithrichly-colouredcloths，andinthathousegoldseemedasplentifulasbricksandoakarewithusinEngland。
Ledbydomesticswhoborecedarwandsintheirhands，wewentthroughmanypassagesandrooms，tillatlengthwecametoachamberwhereotherdomesticswereawaitingus，whowasheduswithscentedwatersandclothedusingorgeousapparel。
Thencetheyconductedustoadoorwherewewerebiddentoremoveourshoes，andacoarsecolouredrobewasgiventoeachofustohideoursplendiddress。
Therobeshavingbeenputon，weweresufferedtopassthedoor，andfoundourselvesinavastchamberinwhichweremanynoblemenandsomewomen，allstandingandcladincoarserobes。
Atthefarendofthischamberwasagildedscreen，andfrombehinditfloatedsoundsofsweetmusic。
Nowaswestoodinthegreatchamberthatwaslightedwithsweet-
smellingtorches，manymenadvancedandgreetedGuatemoctheprince，andInoticedthatallofthemlookeduponmecuriously。
PresentlyawomancameandIsawthatherbeautywasgreat。
Shewastallandstately，andbeneathherroughouterrobesplendidlyattiredinworkedandjewelledgarments。
WearyandbewilderedasI
was，herlovelinessseizedmeasitwereinavice，neverbeforehadIseensuchloveliness。
Forhereyewasproudandfullliketheeyeofabuck，hercurlinghairfelluponhershoulders，andherfeatureswereverynoble，yettenderalmosttosadness，thoughattimesshecouldseemfierceenough。
Thisladywasyetinherfirstyouth，perchanceshemayhaveseensomeeighteenyears，buthershapewasthatofafull-grownwomanandmostroyal。
’Greeting，Guatemocmycousin，’shesaidinasweetvoice；’soyouarecomeatlast。
Myroyalfatherhasawaitedyouforlongandwillaskquestionsastoyourdelay。
Mysisteryourwifehaswonderedalsowhyyoutarried。’
NowasshespokeIfeltratherthansawthatthisladywassearchingmewithhereyes。
’Greeting，Otomiemycousin，’answeredtheprince。
’Ihavebeendelayedbytheaccidentsoftravel。
Tobascoisfaraway，alsomychargeandcompanion，Teule，’andhenoddedtowardsme，’metwithanaccidentontheroad。’
’Whatwastheaccident？’sheasked。
’Onlythis，thathesavedmefromthejawsofapumaattheriskofhislifewhenalltheothersfledfromme，andwassomewhathurtinthedeed。
Hesavedmethus——’andinfewwordshetoldthestory。
ShelistenedandIsawthathereyessparkledatthetale。
Whenitwasdoneshespokeagain，andthistimetome。
’Welcome，Teule，’shesaidsmiling。
’Youarenotofourpeople，yetmyheartgoesouttosuchaman。’
Andstillsmilingsheleftus。
’Whoisthatgreatlady？’IaskedofGuatemoc。
’ThatismycousinOtomie，theprincessoftheOtomie，myuncleMontezuma’sfavouritedaughter，’heanswered。
’Shelikesyou，Teule，andthatiswellforyouformanyreasons。
Hush！’
Ashespokethescreenatthefarendofthechamberwasdrawnaside。
Beyonditamansatuponabroideredcushion，whowasinhalingthefumesofthetobaccoweedfromagildedpipeofwoodaftertheIndianfashion。
Thisman，whowasnootherthanthemonarchMontezuma，wasofatallbuildandmelancholycountenance，havingaverypalefaceforoneofhisnation，andthinblackhair。
Hewasdressedinawhiterobeofthepurestcotton，andworeagoldenbeltandsandalssetwithpearls，andonhisheadaplumeoffeathersoftheroyalgreen。
Behindhimwereabandofbeautifulgirlssomewhatslightlyclothed，someofwhomplayedonlutesandotherinstrumentsofmusic，andoneithersidestoodfourancientcounsellors，allofthembarefootedandcladinthecoarsestgarments。
Sosoonasthescreenwasdrawnallthecompanyinthechamberprostratedthemselvesupontheirknees，anexamplethatIhastenedtofollow，andthustheyremainedtilltheemperormadeasignwiththegildedbowlofhispipe，whentheyrosetotheirfeetagainandstoodwithfoldedhandsandeyesfixedabjectlyuponthefloor。
PresentlyMontezumamadeanothersignal，andthreeagedmenwhomI
understoodtobeambassadors，advancedandaskedsomeprayerofhim。
Heansweredthemwithanodoftheheadandtheyretreatedfromhispresence，makingobeisanceandsteppingbackwardtilltheymingledwiththecrowd。
Thentheemperorspokeawordtooneofthecounsellors，whobowedandcameslowlydownthehalllookingtotherightandtotheleft。
PresentlyhiseyefelluponGuatemoc，and，indeed，hewaseasytosee，forhestoodaheadtallerthananythere。
’Hail，prince，’hesaid。
’TheroyalMontezumadesirestospeakwithyou，andwiththeTeule，yourcompanion。’
’DoasIdo，Teule，’saidGuatemoc，andledthewayupthechamber，tillwereachedtheplacewherethewoodenscreenhadbeen，which，aswepassedit，wasdrawnbehindus，shuttingusofffromthehall。
Herewestoodawhile，withfoldedhandsanddowncasteyes，tillasignalwasmadetoustoadvance。
’Yourreport，nephew，’saidMontezumainalowvoiceofcommand。
’IwenttothecityofTobasco，OgloriousMontezuma。
IfoundtheTeuleandbroughthimhither。
AlsoIcausedthehighpriesttobesacrificedaccordingtotheroyalcommand，andnowIhandbacktheimperialsignet，’andhegavetheringtoacounsellor。
’Whydidyoudelaysolongupontheroad，nephew？’
’Becauseofthechancesofthejourney；whilesavingmylife，royalMontezuma，theTeulemyprisonerwasbittenbyapuma。
Itsskinisbroughttoyouasanoffering。’
NowMontezumalookedatmeforthefirsttime，thenopenedapicturescrollthatoneofthecounsellorshandedtohim，andreadinit，glancingatmefromtimetotime。
’Thedescriptionisgood，’hesaidatlength，’inallsaveonething——itdoesnotsaythatthisprisoneristhehandsomestmaninAnahuac。
Say，Teule，whyhaveyourcountrymenlandedonmydominionsandslainmypeople？’
’Iknownothingofit，Oking，’IansweredaswellasImightwiththehelpofGuatemoc，’andtheyarenotmycountrymen。’
’ThereportsaysthatyouconfesstohavingthebloodoftheseTeulesinyourveins，andthatyoucametotheseshores，ornearthem，inoneoftheirgreatcanoes。’
’Thatisso，Oking，yetIamnotoftheirpeople，andIcametotheshorefloatingonabarrel。’
’Iholdthatyoulie，’answeredMontezumafrowning，’forthesharksandcrocodileswoulddevouronewhoswamthus。’
Thenheaddedanxiously，’Say，areyouofthedescendantsofQuetzal？’
’Idonotknow，Oking。
Iamofawhiterace，andourforefatherwasnamedAdam。’
’PerchancethatisanothernameforQuetzal，’hesaid。
’Ithaslongbeenprophesiedthathischildrenwouldreturn，andnowitseemsthatthehouroftheircomingisathand，’andhesighedheavily，thenadded:’Gonow。
To-morrowyoushalltellmeoftheseTeules，andthecouncilofthepriestsshalldecideyourfate。’
NowwhenIheardthenameofthepriestsItrembledinallmybonesandcried，claspingmyhandsinsupplication:
’Slaymeifyouwill，Oking，butIbeseechyoudelivermenotagainintothehandsofthepriests。’
’Weareallinthehandsofthepriests，whoarethemouthofGod，’
heansweredcoldly。
’Besides，Iholdthatyouhaveliedtome。’
ThenIwentforebodingevil，andGuatemocalsolookeddowncast。
BitterlydidIcursethehourwhenIhadsaidthatIwasoftheSpanishbloodandyetnoSpaniard。
HadIknownevenwhatIknewthatday，torturewouldnothavewrungthosewordsfromme。
Butnowitwastoolate。
NowGuatemocledmetocertainapartmentsofthispalaceofChapoltepec，wherehiswife，theroyalprincessTecuichpo，waswaitinghim，averylovelylady，andwithherotherladies，amongthemtheprincessOtomie，Montezuma’sdaughter，andsomenobles。
Herearichrepastwasservedtous，andIwasseatednexttotheprincessOtomie，whospoketomemostgraciously，askingmemanythingsconcerningmylandandthepeopleoftheTeules。
ItwasfromherthatIlearnedfirstthattheemperorwasmuchdisturbedatheartbecauseoftheseTeulesorSpaniards，forhewassuperstitious，andheldthemtobethechildrenofthegodQuetzal，whoaccordingtoancientprophecywouldcometotaketheland。
Indeed，sograciouswasshe，andsoroyallylovely，thatforthefirsttimeIfeltmyheartstirredbyanyotherwomanthanmybetrothedwhomIhadleftfarawayinEngland，andwhom，asI
thought，Ishouldneverseeagain。
AndasIlearnedinafterdaysminewasnottheonlyheartthatwasstirredthatnight。
Neartoussatanotherroyallady，Papantzin，thesisterofMontezuma，butshewasneitheryoungnorlovely，andyetmostsweetfacedandsadasthoughwiththepresageofdeath。
Indeedshediednotmanyweeksafterbutcouldnotrestquietinhergrave，asshallbetold。
