’Listen:thismanwasathief，adastard，andatraitor。
Asweknownow，hestrovetwicetobetrayustotheTeules。
More，itwashisplantoshowthisnestofwealthtothem，shouldtheyreturnagain，andtosharethespoil。
Allthiswelearnedfromawomanwhomhethoughthislove，butwhowasintruthaspysettowormherselfintothesecretsofhiswickedheart。
Nowlethimtakehisfillofgold；lookhowhegripsitevenindeath，awhitemancouldnothugthestuffmorecloselytohisbreast。
Ah！Teule，wouldthatthesoilofAnahuacborenaughtbutcornforbreadandflintandcopperforthepointsofspearsandarrows，thenhadhersonsbeenfreeforever。
Cursesonyonderdross，foritisthebaitthatsetstheseseasharkstearingatourthroats。
Cursesonit，Isay；mayitneverglittermoreinthesunshine，mayitbelostforever！’
Andhefellfiercelytotheworkofbuildingupthewall。
Soonitwasalmostdone；butbeforewesetthelastbricks，whichwereshapedinsquaresliketheclaylumpthatweuseforthebuildingoffarmeriesandhinds’housesinNorfolk，Ithrustatorchthroughtheopeningandlookedforthelasttimeatthetreasurechamberthatwasalsoadead-house。
Therelaytheglitteringgems；there，stooduponajar，gleamedthegoldenheadofMontezuma，ofwhichtheemeraldeyesseemedtoglareatme，andthere，hisbackrestingagainstthissamejar，andhisarmsencirclingtwootherstotherightandleft，wasthedeadman。
Buthewasnolongerdead，orsoitseemedtome；attheleasthiseyesthatwereshuthadopened，andtheystaredatmeliketheemeraldeyesofthegoldenstatueabovehim，onlymorefearfully。
VeryhastilyIwithdrewthetorch，andwefinishedinsilence。
Whenitwasdonewewithdrewtotheendofthepassageandlookeduptheshaft，andIforonewasgladtoseethestarsshininginheavenaboveme。
Thenwemadeadoubleloopintherope，andatasignalwerehauleduptillwehungovertheledgewheretheblackmassofmarblerested，thetombstoneofMontezuma’streasure，andofhimwhosleepsamongit。
Thisstone，thatwasnicelybalanced，wepushedwithourhandsandfeettillpresentlyitfellforwardwithaheavysound，andcatchingontheridgeofbrickwhichhadbeenpreparedtoreceiveit，shutthetreasureshaftinsuchafashionthatthosewhowouldenteritagainmusttakepowderwiththem。
Thenweweredraggedup，andcametothesurfaceoftheearthinsafety。
NowoneaskedoftheAztecnoblewhohadgonedownwithusandreturnednomore。
’Hehaschosentostayandwatchthetreasure，likeagoodandloyalman，tillsuchtimeashiskingneedsit，’answeredGuatemocgrimly，andthelistenersnodded，understandingall。
Thentheyfelltoandfilledupthenarrowshaftwiththeearththatlayready，workingwithoutcease，andthedawnbrokebeforethetaskwasfinished。
Whenatlengththeholewasfull，oneofourcompanionstookseedsfromabagandscatteredthemonthenakedearth，alsohesettwoyoungtreesthathehadbroughtwithhiminthesoiloftheshaft，thoughwhyhedidthisIdonotknow，unlessitwastomarkthespot。
Allbeingdonewegathereduptheropesandtools，andembarkinginthecanoes，camebacktoMexicointhemorning，leavingthecanoesatalanding-placeoutsidethecity，andfindingourwaytoourhomesbyonesandtwos，aswethoughtunnoticedofany。
ThusitwasthatIhelpedintheburyingofMontezuma’streasure，forthesakeofwhichIwasdestinedtosuffertortureindaystocome。
WhetheranywillhelptounburyitIdonotknow，buttillI
leftthelandofAnahuacthesecrethadbeenkept，andIthinkthatthen，exceptmyself，allthoseweredeadwholabouredwithmeatthistask。
ItchancedthatIpassedthespotasIcamedowntoMexicoforthelasttime，andknewitagainbythetwotreesthatweregrowingtallandstrong，andasIwentbywithSpaniardsatmyside，Isworeinmyheartthattheyshouldneverfingerthegoldbymyhelp。
ItisforthisreasonthatevennowIdonotwriteoftheexactbearingsoftheplacewhereitliesburiedwiththebonesofthetraitor，thoughIknowthemwellenough，seeingthatindaystocomewhatIsetdownheremightfallintothehandsofoneoftheirnation。
Andnow，beforeIgoontospeakofthesiegeofMexico，Imusttellofonemorematter，namelyofhowIandOtomiemywifewentupamongthepeopleoftheOtomie，andwonagreatnumberofthembacktotheirallegiancetotheAzteccrown。
Itmustbeknown，ifmytalehasnotmadethisclearalready，thattheAztecpowerwasnotofonepeople，butbuiltupofseveral，andthatsurroundingitweremanyothertribes，someofwhomwereinalliancewithitorsubjecttoit，andsomeofwhomwereitsdeadlyenemies。
SuchforinstanceweretheTlascalans，asmallbutwarlikepeoplelivingbetweenMexicoandthecoast，bywhosehelpCortesovercameMontezumaandGuatemoc。
BeyondtheTlascalansandtothewest，thegreatOtomieracelivedorlivesamongitsmountains。
TheyareabravernationthantheAztecs，speakinganotherlanguage，ofadifferentblood，andmadeupofmanyclans。
SometimestheyweresubjecttothegreatAztecempire，sometimesinalliance，andsometimesatopenwarwithitandinclosefriendshipwiththeTlascalans。
ItwastodrawthetiecloserbetweentheAztecsandtheOtomies，whoweretotheinhabitantsofAnahuacmuchwhattheScottishclansaretothepeopleofEngland，thatMontezumatooktowifethedaughterandsolelegitimateissueoftheirgreatchieforking。
Thisladydiedinchildbirth，andherchildwasOtomiemywife，hereditaryprincessoftheOtomie。
Butthoughherrankwassogreatamonghermother’speople，asyetOtomiehadvisitedthembuttwice，andthenasachild。
Still，shewaswellskilledintheirlanguageandcustoms，havingbeenbroughtupbynursesandtutorsofthetribes，fromwhichshedrewagreatrevenueeveryyearandoverwhomsheexercisedmanyrightsofroyaltythatwererenderedtoherfarmorefreelythantheyhadbeentoMontezumaherfather。
Nowashasbeensaid，someoftheseOtomieclanshadjoinedtheTlascalans，andastheirallieshadtakenpartinthewaronthesideoftheSpaniards，thereforeitwasdecidedatasolemncouncilthatOtomieandIherhusbandshouldgoonanembassytothechieftownofthenation，thatwasknownastheCityofPines，andstrivetowinitbacktotheAztecstandard。
Accordingly，heraldshavingbeensentbeforeus，westarteduponourjourney，notknowinghowweshouldbereceivedattheendofit。
Foreightdayswetravelledingreatpompandwithanever-
increasingescort，forwhenthetribesoftheOtomielearnedthattheirprincesswascometovisittheminperson，bringingwithherherhusband，amanoftheTeuleswhohadespousedtheAzteccause，theyflockedinvastnumberstoswellherretinue，sothatitcametopassthatbeforewereachedtheCityofPineswewereaccompaniedbyanarmyofatleasttenthousandmountaineers，greatmenandwild，whomadeasavagemusicaswemarched。
Butwiththemandwiththeirchiefsasyetweheldnoconverseexceptbywayofformalgreeting，thougheverymorningwhenwestartedonourjourney，OtomieinalitterandIonahorsethathadbeencapturedfromtheSpaniards，theysetupshoutsofsalutationandmadethemountainsring。
Everaswewentthelandlikeitspeoplegrewwilderandmorebeautiful，fornowwewerepassingthroughforestscladwithoakandpineandwithmanyalovelyplantandfern。
Sometimeswecrossedgreatandsparklingriversandsometimeswewendedthroughgorgesandpassesofthemountains，buteveryhourwemountedhigher，tillatlengththeclimatebecamelikethatofEngland，onlyfarmorebright。
Atlastontheeighthdaywepassedthroughagorgerivenintheredrock，whichwassonarrowinplacesthatthreehorsemencouldscarcelyhaveriddenthereabreast。
Thisgorge，thatisfivemileslong，isthehighroadtotheCityofPines，towhichtherewasnootheraccessexceptbysecretpathsacrossthemountains，andoneithersideofitaresheerandtoweringcliffsthatrisetoheightsofbetweenoneandtwothousandfeet。
’Hereisaplacewhereahundredmenmightholdanarmyatbay，’I
saidtoOtomie，littleknowingthatitwouldbemytasktodosoinadaytocome。
PresentlythegorgetookaturnandIreinedupamazed，forbeforemewastheCityofPinesinallitsbeauty。
Thecitylayinawheelshapedplainthatmaymeasuretwelvemilesacross，andallaroundthisplainaremountainscladtotheirsummitswithforestsofoakandcedartrees。
Atthebackofthecityandinthecentreoftheringofmountainsisone，however，thatisnotgreenwithfoliagebutblackwithlava，andabovethelavawhitewithsnow，overwhichagainhangsapillarofsmokebydayandapillaroffirebynight。
ThiswasthevolcanXaca，ortheQueen，andthoughitisnotsoloftyasitssistersOrizaba，Popo，andIxtac，tomyminditistheloveliestofthemall，bothbecauseofitsperfectshape，andofthecolours，purpleandblue，ofthefiresthatitsendsforthatnightorwhenitsheartistroubled。
TheOtomiesworshippedthismountainasagod，offeringhumansacrificetoit，whichwasnotwonderful，foroncethelavapouringfromitsbowelscutapaththroughtheCityofPines。
Alsotheythinkitholyandhaunted，sothatnonedaresetfootuponitsloftiersnows。
NeverthelessIwasdestinedtoclimbthem——Iandoneother。
NowinthelapofthisringofmountainsandwatchedoverbythemightyXaca，cladinitsrobeofsnow，itscapofsmoke，anditscrownoffire，lies，orratherlaytheCityofPines，fornowitisaruin，orsoIleftit。
Astothecityitself，itwasnotsolargeassomeothersthatIhaveseeninAnahuac，havingonlyapopulationofsomefiveandthirtythousandsouls，sincetheOtomie，beingaraceofmountaineers，didnotdesiretodwellincities。
Butifitwasnotgreat，itwasthemostbeautifulofIndiantowns，beinglaidoutinstraightstreetsthatmetatthesquareinitscentre。
Allalongthesestreetswerehouseseachstandinginagarden，andforthemostpartbuiltofblocksoflavaandroofedwithacementofwhitelime。
Inthemidstofthesquarestoodtheteocalliorpyramidofworship，crownedwithtemplesthatweregarnishedwithropesofskulls，whilebeyondthepyramidandfacingit，wasthepalace，thehomeofOtomie’sforefathers，along，low，andveryancientbuildinghavingmanycourts，andsculpturedeverywherewithsnakesandgrinninggods。
Boththepalaceandthepyramidwerecasedwithafinewhitestonethatshonelikesilverinthesunlight，andcontrastedstrangelywiththedark-huedhousesthatwerebuiltoflava。
SuchwastheCityofPineswhenIsawitfirst。
WhenIsawitlastitwasbutasmokingruin，andnowdoubtlessitisthehomeofbatsandjackals；nowitis’acourtforowls，’now’thelineofconfusionisstretchedoutuponitandthestonesofemptinessfillitsstreets。’
Passingfromthemouthofthegorgewetravelledsomemilesacrosstheplain，everyfootofwhichwascultivatedwithcorn，magueyoraloe，andothercrops，tillwecametooneofthefourgatesofthecity。
Enteringitwefoundtheflatroofsoneithersideofthewidestreetcrowdedwithhundredsofwomenandchildrenwhothrewflowersonusaswepassed，andcried，’Welcome，princess！
Welcome，Otomie，princessoftheOtomie！’
Andwhenatlengthwereachedthegreatsquare，itseemedasthoughallthemeninAnahuacweregatheredthere，andtheytootookupthecryof’Welcome，Otomie，princessoftheOtomie！’tilltheearthshookwiththesound。
MealsotheysalutedasIpassed，bytouchingtheearthwiththeirrighthandsandthenholdingthehandabovethehead，butIthinkthatthehorseIrodecausedthemmorewonderthanIdid，forthemostofthemhadneverseenahorseandlookedonitasamonsterorademon。
Sowewentonthroughtheshoutingmass，followedandprecededbythousandsofwarriors，manyofthemdeckedinglitteringfeathermailandbearingbroideredbanners，tillwehadpassedthepyramid，whereIsawthepriestsattheircruelworkaboveus，andwerecometothepalacegates。
Andhereinastrangechambersculpturedwithgrinningdemonswefoundrestforawhile。
OnthemorrowinthegreathallofthepalacewasheldacouncilofthechiefsandheadmenoftheOtomieclans，tothenumberofahundredormore。
Whenallweregathered，dressedasanAztecnobleofthefirstrank，IcameoutwithOtomie，whoworeroyalrobesandlookedmostbeautifulinthem，andthecouncilrosetogreetus。
