ItwasthevoiceofOtomiecryingforhelp。
’Saveus，Teules；theymurderus！’sheshriekedinsopiercinganotethatitreachedtheearsoftheSpaniards，foroneshoutedinanswerandintheCastiliantongue，’On，mycomrades，on！
Thedogsdomurderontheiraltars！’
ThentherewasamightyrushandthedefendingAztecsweresweptinuponthealtar，liftingthepriestofsacrificefromhisfeetandthrowinghimacrossmybody。
Thricethatrushcamelikearushofthesea，andeachtimethestandoftheAztecsweakened。
NowtheircirclewasbrokenandtheswordsoftheSpaniardsflasheduponeveryside，andnowtheredraylaywithintheringuponmyheart。
’Smite，priestofTezcat，’screamedthevoiceoftheastronomer；
’smitehomeforthegloryofyourgods！’
Withafearfulyellthepriestliftedtheknife；Isawthegoldensunbeamthatrestedfulluponmyheartshineonit。
ThenasitwasdescendingIsawthesamesunbeamshineuponayardofsteelthatflashedacrossmeandlostitselfinthebreastofthemurdererpriest。
Downcamethegreatflintknife，butitsaimwaslost。
Itstruckindeed，butnotuponmybosom，thoughIdidnotescapeitaltogether。
Fulluponthealtarofsacrificeitfellandwasshatteredthere，piercingbetweenmysideandthatofOtomie，andgashingthefleshofbothsothatourbloodwasmingleduponthestone，makingusoneindeed。
Downtoocamethepriestacrossourbodiesforthesecondtime，buttorisenomore，forhewritheddyingonthosewhomhewouldhaveslain。
ThenasinadreamIheardthewailoftheastronomersingingthedirgeofthegodsofAnahuac。
’Thepriestisdeadandhisgodsarefallen，’hecried。
’Tezcathasrejectedhisvictimandisfallen；doomedarethegodsofAnahuac！
VictoryistotheCrossoftheChristians！’
Thushewailed，thencamethesoundofswordblowsandIknewthatthisprophetwasdeadalso。
Nowastrongarmpulledthedyingpriestfromoffus，andhestaggeredbacktillhefelloverthealtarwheretheeternalfireburned，quenchingitwithhisbloodandbodyafterithadflaredformanygenerations，andaknifecuttheropethatboundus。
Isatupstaringroundmewildly，andavoicespokeabovemeinCastilian，nottomeindeedbuttosomecomrade。
’Thesetwowentneartoit，poordevils，’saidthevoice。
’Hadmycutbeenonesecondlater，thatsavagewouldhavedrilledaholeinhimasbigasmyhead。
Byallthesaints！thegirlislovely，orwouldbeifshewerewashed。
IshallbegherofCortesasmyprize。’
ThevoicespokeandIknewthevoice。
Noneothereverhadthathardclearring。
Iknewiteventhenandlookedup，slippingoffthedeath-stoneasIlooked。
NowIsaw。
Beforemefullycladinmailwasmyenemy，deGarcia。
ItwasHISswordthatbythegoodprovidenceofGodhadpiercedthebreastofthepriest。
Hehadsavedmewho，hadheknown，wouldassoonhaveturnedhissteelagainsthisownheartasonthatofmydestroyer。
Igazedathim，wonderingifIdreamed，thenmylipsspoke，withoutmywillasitwere:
’DEGARCIA！’
Hestaggeredbackatthesoundofmyvoice，likeamanstruckbyashot，thenstaredatme，rubbedhiseyeswithhishand，andstaredagain。
Nowatlengthheknewmethroughmypaint。
’MotherofGod！’hegasped，’itisthatknaveThomasWingfield，AND
IHAVESAVEDHISLIFE！’
Bythistimemysenseshadcomebacktome，andknowingallmyfolly，Iturnedseekingescape。
ButdeGarciahadnomindtosufferthis。
Liftinghissword，hesprangatmewithabeastlikescreamofrageandhate。
SwiftlyasthoughtIslippedroundthestoneofsacrificeandaftermecametheupliftedswordofmyenemy。
Itwouldhaveovertakenmesoonenough，forIwasweakwithfearandfasting，andmylimbswerecrampedwithbonds，butatthatmomentacavalierwhombyhisdressandportIguessedtobenoneotherthanCorteshimself，struckupdeGarcia’ssword，saying:
’Hownow，Sarceda？
AreyoumadwiththelustofbloodthatyouwouldtaketosacrificingvictimslikeanIndianpriest？
Letthepoordevilgo。’
’HeisnoIndian，heisanEnglishspy，’crieddeGarcia，andoncemorestruggledtogetatme。
’Decidedlyourfriendismad，’saidCortes，scanningme；’hesaysthatthiswretchedcreatureisanEnglishman。
Come，beoffbothofyou，orsomebodyelsemaymakethesamemistake，’andhewavedhisswordintokentoustogo，deemingthatIcouldnotunderstandhiswords；thenaddedangrily，asdeGarcia，speechlesswithrage，madeanewattempttogetatme:
’No，byheaven！
Iwillnotsufferit。
WeareChristiansandcometosavevictims，nottoslaythem。
Here，comrades，holdthisfoolwhowouldstainhissoulwithmurder。’
NowtheSpaniardsclutcheddeGarciabythearms，andhecursedandravedatthem，forasIhavesaid，hisragewasthatofabeastratherthanofaman。
ButIstoodbewildered，notknowingwhithertofly。
FortunateitwasformeindeedthatonewasbywhothoughsheunderstoodnoSpanish，yethadaquickerwit。
ForwhileI
stoodthus，Otomieclaspedmyhand，andwhispering，’Fly，flyswiftly！’ledmeawayfromthestoneofsacrifice。
’Whithershallwego？’Isaidatlength。
’WereitnotbettertotrusttothemercyoftheSpaniards？’
’Tothemercyofthatman-devilwiththesword？’sheanswered。
’Peace，Teule，andfollowme。’
Nowsheledmeon，andtheSpaniardsletusbyunharmed，ay，andevenspokewordsofpityaswepassed，fortheyknewthatwewerevictimssnatchedfromsacrifice。
Indeed，whenacertainbrute，aTlascalanIndian，rushedatus，purposingtoslayuswithaclub，oneoftheSpaniardsranhimthroughtheshouldersothathefellwoundedtothepavement。
Sowewenton，andattheedgeofthepyramidweglancedbackandsawthatdeGarciahadbrokenfromthosewhoheldhim，orperhapshefoundhistongueandhadexplainedthetruthtothem。
Attheleasthewasboundingfromthealtarofsacrificenearlyfiftyyardsaway，andcomingtowardsuswithupliftedsword。
Thenfeargaveusstrength，andwefledlikethewind。
Alongthesteeppathwerushedsidebyside，leapingdownthestepsandoverthehundredsofdeadanddying，onlypausingnowandagaintosaveourselvesfrombeingsmittenintospacebythebodiesofthepriestswhomtheSpaniardswerehurlingfromthecrestoftheteocalli。
Oncelookingup，IcaughtsightofdeGarciapursuingfaraboveus，butafterthatwesawhimnomore；doubtlessheweariedofthechase，orfearedtofallintothehandsofsuchoftheAztecwarriorsasstillclusteredroundthefootofthepyramid。
Wehadlivedthroughmanydangersthatday，theprincessOtomieandI，butonemoreawaitedusbeforeeverwefoundshelterforawhile。
Afterwehadreachedthefootofthepyramidandturnedtominglewiththeterrifiedrabblethatsurgedandflowedthroughthecourtyardofthetemple，bearingawaythedeadandwoundedastheseaatfloodreclaimsitswasteandwreckage，anoiselikethundercaughtmyear。
Ilookedup，forthesoundcamefromabove，andsawahugemassboundingdownthesteepsideofthepyramid。
EventhenIknewitagain；itwastheidolofthegodTezcatthattheSpaniardshadtornfromitsshrine，andlikeanavengingdemonitrushedstraightontome。
Alreadyitwasuponus，therewasnoretreatfrominstantdeath，wehadbutescapedsacrificetothespiritofthegodtobecrushedtopowderbeneaththebulkofhismarbleemblem。
OnhecamewhileonhightheSpaniardsshoutedintriumph。
Hisbasehadstruckthestonesideofthepyramidfiftyfeetaboveus，nowhewhirledroundandroundintheairtostrikeagainwithinthreepacesofwherewestood。
Ifeltthesolidmountainshakebeneaththeblow，andnextinstanttheairwasfilledwithhugefragmentsofmarble，thatwhizzedoverusandpastusasthoughamineofpowderhadbeenfiredbeneathourfeet，tearingtherocksfromtheirbase。
ThegodTezcathadburstintoascoreofpieces，andthesefellrounduslikeaflightofarrows，andyetwewerenottouched。
Myheadwasgrazedbyhishead，hisfeetdugapitbeforemyfeet，butIstoodthereunhurt，thefalsegodhadnopoweroverthevictimwhohadescapedhim！
AfterthatIremembernothingtillIfoundmyselfoncemoreinmyapartmentsinMontezuma’spalace，whichIneverhopedtoseeagain。
Otomiewasbyme，andshebroughtmewatertowashthepaintfrommybodyandthebloodfrommywound，which，leavingherownuntended，shedressedskilfully，forthecutofthepriest’sknifewasdeepandIhadbledmuch。
Alsosheclothedherselfafreshinawhiterobeandbroughtmeraimenttowear，withfoodanddrink，andIpartookofthem。
ThenIbadehereatsomethingherself，andwhenshehaddonesoIgatheredmywitstogetherandspoketoher。
’Whatnext？’Isaid。
’Presentlythepriestswillbeonus，andweshallbedraggedbacktosacrifice。
Thereisnohopeformehere，ImustflytotheSpaniardsandtrusttotheirmercy。’
’Tothemercyofthatmanwiththesword？
Say，Teule，whoishe？’
’HeisthatSpaniardofwhomIhavespokentoyou，Otomie；heismymortalenemywhomIhavefollowedacrosstheseas。’
’Andnowyouwouldputyourselfintohispower。
Truly，youarefoolish，Teule。’
’ItisbettertofallintothehandsofChristianmenthanintothoseofyourpriests，’Ianswered。
’Havenofear，’shesaid；’thepriestsareharmlessforyou。
Youhaveescapedthemandthere’sanend。
Fewhaveevercomealivefromtheirclutchesbefore，andhewhodoessoisawizardindeed。
FortherestIthinkthatyourGodisstrongerthanourgods，forsurelyHemusthavecastHismantleoveruswhenwelayyonderonthestone。
Ah！Teule，towhathaveyoubroughtmethatIshouldlivetodoubtmygods，ay，andtocalluponthefoesofmycountryforsuccourinyourneed。
Believeme，Ihadnotdoneitformyownsake，sinceIwouldhavediedwithyourkissuponmylipsandyourwordofloveechoinginmyears，whonowmustliveknowingthatthesejoyshavepassedfromme。’
’Howso？’Ianswered。
’WhatIhavesaid，Ihavesaid。
Otomie，youwouldhavediedwithme，andyousavedmylifebyyourwitincallingontheSpaniards。
Henceforthitisyours，forthereisnootherwomanintheworldsotenderandsobrave，andIsayitagain，Otomie，mywife，Iloveyou。
Ourbloodhasmingledonthestoneofsacrificeandtherewekissed；letthesebeourmarriagerites。
PerhapsIhavenotlongtolive，buttillIdieIamyours，Otomiemywife。’
ThusIspokefromthefulnessofmyheart，formystrengthandcouragewereshattered，horrorandlonelinesshadtakenholdofme。
Buttwothingswerelefttomeintheworld，mytrustinProvidenceandtheloveofthiswoman，whohaddaredsomuchforme。
ThereforeIforgotmytrothandclungtoherasachildclingstoitsmother。
Doubtlessitwaswrong，butIwillbeboldtosaythatfewmensoplacedwouldhaveactedotherwise。
Moreover，IcouldnottakebackthefatefulwordsthatIhadspokenonthestoneofsacrifice。
