comehere，OTezcat，accordingtotheancientcustom，becauseIamchargedwithamessagetoyou。
Thosewhomyoushallwedarechosen。
Iamthebeareroftheirnames。’
’Speakon，princessoftheOtomie。’
’Theyare’——andshenamedthreeladieswhomIknewtobeamongtheloveliestintheland。
’Ithoughtthattherewerefour，’Isaidwithabitterlaugh。
’AmItobedefraudedofthefourth？’
’Thereisafourth，’sheanswered，andwassilent。
’Givemehername，’Icried。
’Whatothersluthasbeenfoundtomarryafelondoomedtosacrifice？’
’Onehasbeenfound，OTezcat，whohasborneothertitlesthanthisyougiveher。’
NowIlookedatherquestioningly，andshespokeagaininalowvoice。
’I，Otomie，princessoftheOtomie，Montezuma’sdaughter，amthefourthandthefirst。’
’You！’Isaid，sinkingbackuponmycushions。
’YOU！’
’Yes，I。
Listen:Iwaschosenbythepriestsasthemostlovelyintheland，howeverunworthily。
Myfather，theemperor，wasangryandsaidthatwhateverbefell，Ishouldneverbethewifeofacaptivewhomustdieuponthealtarofsacrifice。
Butthepriestsansweredthatthiswasnotimeforhimtoclaimexceptionforhisblood，nowwhenthegodswerewroth。
Wasthefirstladyinthelandtobewithheldfromthegod？theyasked。
ThenmyfathersighedandsaidthatitshouldbeasIwilled。
AndIsaidwiththepriests，thatnowinoursoredistresstheproudmusthumblethemselvestothedust，eventothemarryingofacaptiveslavewhoisnamedagodanddoomedtosacrifice。
SoI，princessoftheOtomie，haveconsentedtobecomeyourwife，OTezcat，thoughperchancehadIknownallthatIreadinyoureyesthishour，I
shouldnothaveconsented。
ItmayhappenthatinthisshameI
hopedtofindloveifonlyforoneshorthour，andthatIpurposedtovarythecustomofourpeople，andtocompletemymarriagebythesideofthevictimonthealtar，as，ifIwill，Ihavetherighttodo。
ButIseewellthatIamnotwelcome，andthoughitistoolatetogobackuponmyword，havenofear。
Thereareothers，andIshallnottroubleyou。
Ihavegivenmymessage，isityourpleasurethatIshouldgo？
Thesolemnceremonyofwedlockwillbeonthetwelfthdayfromnow，OTezcat。’
NowIrosefrommyseatandtookherhand，saying:
’Ithankyou，Otomie，foryournoblenessofmind。
HaditnotbeenforthecomfortandfriendshipwhichyouandGuatemocyourcousinhavegivenme，IthinkthaterenowIshouldbedead。
Soyoudesiretocomfortmetothelast；itseemsthatyouevenpurposedtodiewithme。
HowamItointerpretthis，Otomie？
Inourlandawomanwouldneedtoloveamanafternocommonfashionbeforesheconsentedtosharesuchabedasawaitsmeonyonderpyramid。
AndyetImayscarcelythinkthatyouwhomkingshavesuedforcanplaceyourheartsolow。
HowamItoreadthewritingofyourwords，princessoftheOtomie？’
’Readitwithyourheart，’shewhisperedlow，andIfeltherhandtrembleinmyown。
Ilookedatherbeauty，itwasgreat；Ithoughtofherdevotion，adevotionthatdidnotshrinkfromthemosthorribleofdeaths，andawindoffeelingwhichwasakintolovesweptthroughmysoul。
ButevenasIlookedandthought，IrememberedtheEnglishgardenandtheEnglishmaidfromwhomIhadpartedbeneaththebeechatDitchingham，andthewordsthatwehadspokenthen。
Doubtlessshestilllivedandwastruetome；whileIlivedshouldInotkeeptrueathearttoher？
IfImustwedtheseIndiangirls，Imustwedthem，butifonceItoldOtomiethatIlovedher，thenIbrokemytroth，andwithnothinglesswouldshebesatisfied。
Asyet，thoughIwasdeeplymovedandthetemptationwasgreat，Ihadnotcometothis。
’Beseated，Otomie，’Isaid，’andlistentome。
Youseethisgoldentoken，’andIdrewLily’sposyringfrommyhand，’andyouseethewritingwithinit。’
Shebentherheadbutdidnotspeak，andIsawthattherewasfearinhereyes。
’Iwillreadyouthewords，Otomie，’andItranslatedintotheAztectonguethequaintcouplet:
Hearttoheart，Thoughfarapart。
Thenatlastshespoke。
’Whatdoesthewritingmean？’shesaid。
’Icanonlyreadinpictures，Teule。’
’Itmeans，Otomie，thatinthefarlandwhenceIcome，thereisawomanwholovesme，andwhoismylove。’
’Issheyourwifethen？’
’Sheisnotmywife，Otomie，butsheisvowedtomeinmarriage。’
’Sheisvowedtoyouinmarriage，’sheansweredbitterly:’why，thenweareequal，forsoamI，Teule。
Butthereisthisdifferencebetweenus；youloveher，andmeyoudonotlove。
Thatiswhatyouwouldmakecleartome。
Sparememorewords，I
understandall。
StillitseemsthatifIhavelost，sheisalsointhepathofloss。
Greatseasrollbetweenyouandthisloveofyours，Teule，seasofwater，andthealtarofsacrifice，andthenothingnessofdeath。
Nowletmego。
YourwifeImustbe，forthereisnoescape，butIshallnottroubleyouovermuch，anditwillsoonbedonewith。
ThenyoumayseekyourdesireintheHousesoftheStarswhitheryoumustwander，anditismyprayerthatyoushallwinit。
AllthesemonthsIhavebeenplanningtofindhopeforyou，andIthoughtthatIhadfoundit。
Butitwasbuiltuponafalsebelief，anditisended。
Hadyoubeenabletosayfromyourheartthatyoulovedme，itmighthavebeenwellforbothofus；shouldyoubeabletosayitbeforetheend，itmaystillbewell。
ButIdonotaskyoutosayit，andbewarehowyoutellmealie。
Ileaveyou，Teule，butbeforeIgoIwillsaythatIhonouryoumoreinthishourthanIhavehonouredyoubefore，becauseyouhavedaredtospeakthetruthtome，Montezuma’sdaughter，whenaliehadbeensoeasyandsosafe。
Thatwomanbeyondtheseasshouldbegratefultoyou，butthoughIbearhernoillwill，betweenmeandherthereisastruggletothedeath。
Wearestrangerstoeachother，andstrangersweshallremain，butshehastouchedyourhandasItouchitnow；youlinkustogetherandareourbondofenmity。
Farewellmyhusbandthatistobe。
Weshallmeetnomoretillthatsorrydaywhena“slut“shallbegiventoa“felon“inmarriage。
Iuseyourownwords，Teule！’
Thenrising，Otomiecastherveilaboutherfaceandpassedslowlyfromthechamber，leavingmemuchdisturbed。
Itwasabolddeedtohaverejectedtheprofferedloveofthisqueenamongwomen，andnowthatIhaddonesoIwasnotaltogetherglad。
WouldLily，I
wondered，haveofferedtodescendfromsuchstate，tocastoffthepurpleofherroyalrankthatshemightlieatmysideontheredstoneofsacrifice？
Perhapsnot，forthisfiercefidelityisonlytobefoundinwomenofanotherbreed。
ThesedaughtersoftheSunlovewhollywhentheyloveatall，andastheylovetheyhate。
Theyasknopriesttoconsecratetheirvows，norifthesebecomehateful，willtheybeboundbythemforduty’ssake。
Theirowndesireistheirlaw，butwhileitrulesthemtheyfollowitunflinchingly，andifneedbe，theyseekitsconsummationinthegatesofdeath，orfailingthat，forgetfulness。
Somewearytimewentby，andatlastcamethedayoftheentryintoMexicoofCortesandhisconquerors。
NowofallthedoingsoftheSpaniardsaftertheyoccupiedthecity，Idonotproposetospeakatlength，forthesearemattersofhistory，andIhavemyownstorytotell。
SoIshallonlywriteofthoseofthemwithwhichI
wasconcernedmyself。
IdidnotseethemeetingbetweenMontezumaandCortes，thoughIsawtheemperorsetouttoitcladlikeSolomoninhisgloryandsurroundedbyhisnobles。
ButIamsureofthis，thatnoslavebeingledtosacrificecarriedaheavierheartinhisbreastthanthatofMontezumaonthisunluckyday。
Fornowhisfollyhadruinedhim，andIthinkheknewthathewasgoingtohisdoom。
Afterwards，towardsevening，Isawtheemperorcomebackinhisgoldenlitter，andpassovertothepalacebuiltbyAxahisfather，thatstoodoppositetoandsomefivehundredpacesfromhisown，facingthewesterngateofthetemple。
PresentlyIheardthesoundofamultitudeshouting，andamidstitthetrampofhorsesandarmedsoldiers，andfromaseatinmychamberIsawtheSpaniardsadvancedownthegreatstreet，andmyheartbeatatthesightofChristianmen。
Infront，cladinricharmour，rodetheirleaderCortes，amanofmiddlesizebutnoblebearing，withthoughtfuleyesthatnotedeverything，andafterhim，somefewonhorsebackbutthemostofthemonfoot，marchedhislittlearmyofconquerors，staringaboutthemwithboldwonderingeyesandjestingtoeachotherinCastilian。
Theywerebutahandful，bronzedwiththesunandscarredbybattle，someofthemill-armedandalmostinrags，andlookingonthemIcouldnotbutmarvelattheindomitablecouragethathadenabledthemtopiercetheirwaythroughhostilethousands，sickness，andwar，eventothehomeofMontezuma’spower。
BythesideofCortes，holdinghisstirrupinherhand，walkedabeautifulIndianwomandressedinwhiterobesandcrownedwithflowers。
Asshepassedthepalacesheturnedherface。
Iknewheratonce；itwasmyfriendMarina，whonowhadattainedtothegreatnesswhichshedesired，andwho，notwithstandingalltheevilthatshehadbroughtuponhercountry，lookedmosthappyinitandinhermaster’slove。
AstheSpaniardswentbyIsearchedtheirfacesonebyone，withthevaguehopeofhate。
Forthoughitmightwellchancethatdeathhadputusoutofeachother’sreach，IhalfthoughttoseedeGarciaamongthenumberoftheconquerors。
Suchaquestastheirs，withitspromiseofblood，andgold，andrapine，wouldcertainlycommenditselftohisevilheartshoulditbeinhispowertojoinit，andastrangeinstincttoldmethathewasNOTdead。
ButneitherdeadnorlivingwasheamongthosemenwhoenteredMexicothatday。
ThatnightIsawGuatemocandaskedhimhowthingswent。
’Wellforthekitethatroostsinthedove’snest，’heansweredwithabitterlaugh，’butveryillforthedove。
Montezuma，myuncle，hasbeencooingyonder，’andhepointedtothepalaceofAxa，’andthecaptainoftheTeuleshascooedinanswer，butthoughhetriedtohideit，Icouldhearthehawk’sshriekinhispigeon’snote。
ErelongtherewillbemerrydoingsinTenoctitlan。’
Hewasright。
WithinaweekMontezumawastreacherouslyseizedbytheSpaniardsandkeptaprisonerintheirquarters，watcheddayandnightbytheirsoldiers。
Thencameeventuponevent。
CertainlordsinthecoastlandshavingkilledsomeSpaniards，weresummonedtoMexicobytheinstigationofCortes。
Theycameandwereburnedaliveinthecourtyardofthepalace。
Norwasthisall，forMontezuma，theirmonarch，wasforcedtowitnesstheexecutionwithfettersonhisankles。
SolowhadtheemperoroftheAztecsfallen，thathemustbearchainslikeacommonfelon。
