AfterthisinsulthesworeallegiancetotheKingofSpain，andevencontrivedtocaptureCacama，thelordofTezcuco，bytreacheryandtodeliverhimintothehandsoftheSpaniardsonwhomhewouldhavemadewar。
Tothemalsohegaveupallthehoardedgoldandtreasureoftheempire，tothevalueofhundredsofthousandsofEnglishpounds。
Allthisthenationbore，foritwasstupefiedandstillobeyedthecommandsofitscaptiveking。
ButwhenhesufferedtheSpaniardstoworshipthetrueGodinoneofthesanctuariesofthegreattemple，amurmurofdiscontentandsullenfuryroseamongthethousandsoftheAztecs。
Itfilledtheair，itcouldbeheardwherevermenweregathered，anditssoundwaslikethatofadistantangrysea。
Thehourofthebreakingofthetempestwasathand。
Nowallthiswhilemylifewentonasbefore，savethatIwasnotallowedtogooutsidethewallsofthepalace，foritwasfearedlestIshouldfindsomemeansofintercoursewiththeSpaniards，whodidnotknowthatamanofwhitebloodwasconfinedthereanddoomedtosacrifice。
AlsointhesedaysIsawlittleoftheprincessOtomie，thechiefofmydestinedbrides，whosinceourstrangelovescenehadavoidedme，andwhenwemetatfeastsorinthegardensspoketomeonlyonindifferentmatters，oroftheaffairsofstate。
Atlengthcamethedayofmymarriage。
Itwas，Iremember，thenightbeforethemassacreofthesixhundredAztecnoblesontheoccasionofthefestivalofHuitzel。
OnthismyweddingdayIwastreatedwithgreatcircumstanceandworshippedlikeagodbythehighestinthecity，whocameintodomereverenceandburnedincensebeforeme，tillIwaswearyofthesmellofit，forthoughsuchsorrowwasontheland，thepriestswouldabatenojotoftheirceremoniesorcruelties，andgreathopeswereheldthatIbeingoftheraceofTeules，mysacrificewouldaverttheangerofthegods。
AtsunsetIwasentertainedwithasplendidfeastthatlastedtwohoursormore，andatitsendallthecompanyroseandshoutedaswithonevoice:
’Glorytothee，OTezcat！
Happyartthouhereonearth，happymaystthoubeintheHousesoftheSun。
Whenthoucomestthither，rememberthatwedealtwellbythee，givingtheeofourbest，andintercedeforusthatoursinsmaybeforgiven。
Glorytothee，O
Tezcat！’
Thentwoofthechiefnoblescameforward，andtakingtorchesledmetoamagnificentchamberthatIhadneverseenbefore。
Heretheychangedmyapparel，investingmeinrobeswhichwerestillmoresplendidthananythatIhadwornhitherto，beingmadeofthefinestembroideredcottonandoftheglitteringfeathersofthehummingbird。
Onmyheadtheysetwreathsofflowers，andaboutmyneckandwristsemeraldsofvastsizeandvalue，andasorrypopinjayIlookedinthisattire，thatseemedmoresuitedtoawoman’sbeautythantome。
WhenIwasarrayed，suddenlythetorcheswereextinguishedandforawhiletherewassilence。
TheninthedistanceIheardwomen’svoicessingingabridalsongthatwasbeautifulenoughafteritsfashion，thoughIforbeartowriteitdown。
Thesingingceasedandtherecameasoundofrustlingrobesandoflowwhispering。
Thenaman’svoicespoke，saying:
’Areyethere，yechosenofheaven？’
Andawoman’svoice，IthoughtitwasthatofOtomie，answered:
’Wearehere。’
’OmaidensofAnahuac，’saidthemanspeakingfromthedarkness，’andyou，OTezcat，godamongthegods，listentomywords。
Maidens，agreathonourhasbeendonetoyou，forbytheverychoiceofheaven，youhavebeenendowedwiththenames，thelovelinesses，andthevirtuesofthefourgreatgoddesses，andchosentoabideawhileatthesideofthisgod，yourmakerandyourmaster，whohasbeenpleasedtovisitusforaspacebeforeheseekshishomeinthehabitationsoftheSun。
Seethatyoushowyourselvesworthyofthishonour。
Comforthimandcherishhim，thathemayforgethisgloryinyourkindness，andwhenhereturnstohisownplacemaytakewithhimgratefulmemoriesandagoodreportofyourpeople。
Youhavebutalittlewhiletoliveathissideinthislife，foralready，likethoseofacagedbird，thewingsofhisspiritbeatagainstthebarsoftheflesh，andsoonhewillshakehimselffreefromusandyou。
Yetifyouwill，itisallowedtooneofyoutoaccompanyhimtohishome，sharinghisflighttotheHousesoftheSun。
Buttoallofyou，whetheryougoalso，orwhetheryoustaytomournhimduringyourlifedays，Isayloveandcherishhim，betenderandgentletowardshim，forotherwiseruinshallovertakeyouhereandhereafter，andyouandallofuswillbeillspokenofinheaven。
Andyou，OTezcat，weprayofyoutoacceptthesemaidens，whobearthenamesandwearthecharmsofyourcelestialconsorts，fortherearenonemorebeautifulorbetterbornintherealmsofAnahuac，andamongthemisnumberedthedaughterofourking。
Theyarenotperfectindeed，forperfectionisknowntoyouintheheavenlykingdomsonly，sincetheseladiesarebutshadowsandsymbolsofthedivinegoddessesyourtruewives，andheretherearenoperfectwomen。
Alas，wehavenonebettertoofferyou，anditisourhopethatwhenitpleasesyoutopasshenceyouwillthinkkindlyofthewomenofthisland，andfromonhighblessthemwithyourblessing，becauseyourmemoryofthesewhowerecalledyourwivesonearthispleasant。’
Thevoicepaused，thenspokeagain:
’Women，inyourowndivinenamesofXochi，Xilo，Atla，andClixto，andinthenameofallthegods，IwedyoutoTezcat，thecreator，tosojournwithhimduringhisstayonearth。
Thegodincarnatetakesyouinmarriagewhomhehimselfcreated，thatthesymbolmaybeperfectandthemysteryfulfilled。
Yetlestyourjoyshouldbetoofull——looknowonthatwhichshallbe。’
Asthevoicespokethesewords，manytorchessprangintoflameatthefarendofthegreatchamber，revealingadreadfulsight。
Forthere，stretcheduponastoneofsacrifice，wasthebodyofaman，butwhetherthemanlivedorwasmodelledinwaxIdonotknowtothishour，thoughunlesshewaspainted，Ithinkthathemusthavebeenfashionedinwax，sincehisskinshonewhitelikemine。
Attheleasthislimbsandheadwereheldbyfivepriests，andasixthstoodoverhimclaspingaknifeofobsidianinhistwohands。
Itflashedonhigh，andasitgleamedthetorcheswereextinguished。
Thencamethedullechoofablowandasoundofgroans，andallwasstill，tilloncemorethebridesbrokeoutintotheirmarriagesong，astrangechantandawildandsweet，thoughafterwhatIhadseenandheardithadlittlepowertomoveme。
Theysangoninthedarknessevermoreloudly，tillpresentlyasingletorchwaslitattheendofthechamber，thenanotherandanother，thoughIcouldnotseewholitthem，andtheroomwasaflareoflight。
Nowthealtar，thevictim，andthepriestswereallgone，therewasnooneleftintheplaceexceptmyselfandthefourbrides。
Theyweretallandlovelywomenallofthem，cladinwhitebridalrobesstarredoverwithgemsandflowers，andwearingontheirbrowstheemblemsofthefourgoddesses，butOtomiewasthestateliestandmostbeautifulofthefour，andseemedintruthagoddess。
Onebyonetheydrewneartome，smilingandsighing，andkneelingbeforemekissedmyhand，saying:
’Ihavebeenchosentobeyourwifeforaspace，Tezcat，happymaidthatIam。
MaythegoodgodsgrantthatIbecomepleasingtoyoursight，sothatyoumaylovemeasIworshipyou。’
Thenshewhohadspokenwoulddrawbackagainoutofearshot，andthenextwouldtakeherplace。
LastofallcameOtomie。
Shekneltandsaidthewords，thenaddedinalowvoice，
’HavingspokentoyouasthebrideandgoddesstothehusbandandthegodTezcat，now，OTeule，Ispeakasthewomantotheman。
Youdonotloveme，Teule，therefore，ifitisyourwill，letusbedivorcedofourownactwhowerewedbythecommandofothers，forsoIshallbesparedsomeshame。
Thesearefriendstomeandwillnotbetrayus；andshenoddedtowardshercompanionbrides。
’Asyouwill，Otomie，’Iansweredbriefly。
’Ithankyouforyourkindness，Teule，’shesaidsmilingsadly，andwithdrewmakingobeisance，lookingsostatelyandsosweetasshewent，thatagainmyheartwasshakenasthoughwithlove。
Nowfromthatnighttillthedreadfulhourofsacrifice，nokissortenderwordpassedbetweenmeandtheprincessoftheOtomie。
Andyetourfriendshipandaffectiongrewdaily，forwetalkedmuchtogether，andIsoughttoturnherhearttothetrueKingofHeaven。
Butthiswasnoteasy，forlikeherfatherMontezuma，Otomieclungtothegodsofherpeople，thoughshehatedthepriests，andsavewhenthevictimswerethefoesofhercountry，shrankfromtheritesofhumansacrifice，whichshesaidwereinstitutedbythepabas，sinceintheearlydaystherewerenomenofferedonthealtarsofthegods，butflowersonly。
Dailyitgrewandripenedtill，althoughI
scarcelyknewit，atlengthinmyheart，afterLily，Ilovedherbetterthananyoneonearth。
Asfortheotherwomen，thoughtheyweregentleandbeautiful，Isoonlearnedtohatethem。
StillI
feastedandrevelledwiththem，partlysinceImust，orbringthemtoamiserabledeathbecausetheyfailedtopleaseme，andpartlythatImightdrownmyterrorsindrinkandpleasure，forletitberememberedthatthedayslefttomeonearthwerefew，andtheawfulenddrewnear。
ThedayfollowingthecelebrationofmymarriagewasthatoftheshamelessmassacreofsixhundredoftheAztecnoblesbytheorderofthehidalgoAlvarado，whomCorteshadleftincommandoftheSpaniards。
ForatthistimeCorteswasabsentinthecoastlands，whitherhehadgonetomakewaronNarvaez，whohadbeensenttosubduehimbyhisenemyVelasquez，thegovernorofCuba。
OnthisdaywascelebratedthefeastofHuitzel，thatwasheldwithsacrifice，songs，anddancesinthegreatcourtofthetemple，thatcourtwhichwassurroundedbyawallcarvedoverwiththewrithingshapesofsnakes。
Itchancedthatonthismorningbeforehewenttojoininthefestival，Guatemoc，theprince，cametoseemeonavisitofceremony。
Iaskedhimifheintendedtotakepartinthefeast，asthesplendourofhisapparelbroughtmetobelieve。
’Yes，’heanswered，’butwhydoyouask？’
’Because，wereIyou，Guatemoc，Iwouldnotgo。
Saynow，willthedancersbearmed？’
’No，itisnotusual。’
’Theywillbeunarmed，Guatemoc，andtheyarethefloweroftheland。
Unarmedtheywilldanceinyonderenclosedspace，andtheTeuleswillwatchthemarmed。
Now，howwoulditbeifthesechancedtopickaquarrelwiththenobles？’
’Idonotknowwhyyoushouldspeakthus，Teule，forsurelythesewhitemenarenotcowardlymurderers，stillItakeyourwordsasanomen，andthoughthefeastmustbeheld，forseealreadythenoblesgather，Iwillnotshareinit。’
’Youarewise，Guatemoc，’Isaid。
’Iamsurethatyouarewise’
AfterwardsOtomie，Guatemoc，andIwentintothegardenofthepalaceandsatuponthecrestofasmallpyramid，ateocalliinminiaturethatMontezumahadbuiltforaplaceofoutlookonthemarketandthecourtsofthetemple。
FromthisspotwesawthedancingoftheAztecnobles，andheardthesongofthemusicians。
