’Ogod，thouwhoarteverywhereandseestall，knowestthatCuitlahuaourkingisgatheredtothee。
Thouhastsethimbeneaththyfootstoolandthereherestsinhisrest。
Hehastravelledthatroadwhichwemusttraveleveryone，hehasreachedtheroyalinhabitationsofourdead，thehomeofeverlastingshadows。
Therewherenoneshalltroublehimheissunkinsleep。
Hisbrieflaboursareaccomplished，andsoiledwithsinandsorrow，hehasgonetothee。
Thougavesthimjoystotastebutnottodrink；thegloryofempirepassedbeforehiseyeslikethemadnessofadream。
Withtearsandwithprayerstotheehetookuphisload，withhappinesshelaiditdown。
Wherehisforefatherswent，thitherhehasfollowed，norcanhereturntous。
Ourfireisanashandourlampisdarkness。
Thosewhoworehispurplebeforehimbequeathedtohimtheintolerableweightofrule，andheinhisturnbequeathsittoanother。
Truly，heshouldgivetheepraise，thoukingofkings，masterofthestars，thatstandestalone，whohastliftedfromhisshoulderssogreataburden，andfromhisbrowthiscrownofwoes，payinghimpeaceforwarandrestforlabour。
’Ogodourhope，choosenowaservanttosucceedhim，amanafterthineownheart，whoshallnotfearnorfalter，whoshalltoilandnotbeweary，whoshallleadthypeopleasamotherleadsherchildren。
Lordoflords，givegracetoGuatemocthycreature，whoisourchoice。
Sealhimtothyservice，andasthypriestlethimsituponthyearthlythroneforhislifedays。
Letthyfoesbecomehisfootstool，lethimexaltthyglory，proclaimthyworship，andprotectthykingdom。
ThushaveIprayedtotheeinthenameofthenation。
Ogod，thywillbedone！’
Whenthehighpriesthadmadeanendofhisprayer，thefirstofthefourgreatelectorsrose，saying:
’Guatemoc，inthenameofgodandwiththevoiceofthepeopleofAnahuac，wesummonyoutothethroneofAnahuac。
Longmayyouliveandjustlymayyourule，andmaytheglorybeyoursofbeatingbackintotheseathosefoeswhowoulddestroyus。
Hailtoyou，Guatemoc，EmperoroftheAztecsandoftheirvassaltribes。’
Andallthethreehundredofthecouncilofconfirmationrepeatedinavoiceofthunder，’Hailtoyou，Guatemoc，Emperor！’
Nowtheprincehimselfstoodforwardandspoke:
’Youlordsofelection，andyou，princes，generals，noblesandcaptainsofthecouncilofconfirmation，hearme。
MaythegodsbemywitnessthatwhenIenteredthisplaceIhadnothoughtorknowledgethatIwasdestinedtosohighanhonourasthatwhichyouwouldthrustuponme。
Andmaythegodsbemywitnessagainthatweremylifemyown，andnotatrustinthehandsofthispeople，Iwouldsaytoyou，“Seekonandfindoneworthiertofillthethrone。“
Butmylifeisnotmyown。
AnahuaccallshersonandIobeythecall。
Wartothedeaththreatensher，andshallIhangbackwhilemyarmhasstrengthtosmiteandmybrainhaspowertoplan？
Notso。
NowandhenceforthIvowmyselftotheserviceofmycountryandtowaragainsttheTeules。
Iwillmakenopeacewiththem，Iwilltakenoresttilltheyaredrivenbackwhencetheycame，ortillIamdeadbeneaththeirswords。
Nonecansaywhatthegodshaveinstoreforus，itmaybevictoryoritmaybedestruction，butbeittriumphordeath，letusswearagreatoathtogether，mypeopleandmybrethren。
LetussweartofighttheTeulesandthetraitorswhoabetthem，forourcities，ourhearthsandouraltars；tillthecitiesareasmokingruin，tillthehearthsarecumberedwiththeirdead，andthealtarsrunredwiththebloodoftheirworshippers。
So，ifwearedestinedtoconquer，ourtriumphshallbemadesure，andifwearedoomedtofail，atleasttherewillbeastorytobetoldofus。
Doyouswear，mypeopleandmybrethren？’
’Weswear，’theyansweredwithashout。
’Itiswell，’saidGuatemoc。
’Andnowmayeverlastingshameovertakehimwhobreaksthisoath。’
ThusthenwasGuatemoc，thelastandgreatestoftheAztecemperors，electedtothethroneofhisforefathers。
Itwashappyforhimthathecouldnotforeseethatdreadfuldaywhenhe，thenoblestofmen，mustmeetafelon’sdoomatthehandoftheseveryTeules。
Yetsoitcameabout，forthedestinythatlayuponthelandsmoteallalike，indeedthegreaterthemanthemorecertainwashisfate。
WhenallwasdoneIhurriedtothepalacetotellOtomiewhathadcometopass，andfoundherinoursleepingchamberlyingonherbed。
’Whatailsyou，Otomie？’Iasked。
’Alas！myhusband，’sheanswered，’thepestilencehasstrickenme。
Comenotnear，Iprayyou，comenotnear。
Letmebenursedbythewomen。
Youshallnotriskyourlifeforme，beloved。’
’Peace，’Isaidandcametoher。
Itwastootrue，Iwhoamaphysicianknewthesymptomswell。
Indeedhaditnotbeenformyskill，Otomiewouldhavedied。
ForthreelongweeksIfoughtwithdeathatherbedside，andintheendIconquered。
Thefeverlefther，andthankstomytreatment，therewasnosinglescaruponherlovelyface。
Duringeightdayshermindwanderedwithoutceasing，anditwasthenIlearnedhowdeepandperfectwasherloveforme。
Forallthiswhileshedidnothingbutraveofme，andthesecretterrorofherheartwasdisclosed——thatIshouldceasetocareforher，thatherbeautyandlovemightpalluponmesothatIshouldleaveher，that’theflowermaid，’forsoshenamedLily，whodweltacrosstheseashoulddrawmebacktoherbymagic；thiswastheburdenofhermadness。
Atlengthhersensesreturnedandshespoke，saying:
’HowlonghaveIlainill，husband？’
Itoldherandshesaid，’Andhaveyounursedmeallthiswhile，andthroughsofoulasickness？’
’Yes，Otomie，Ihavetendedyou。’
’WhathaveIdonethatyoushouldbesogoodtome？’shemurmured。
Thensomedreadfulthoughtseemedtostrikeher，forshemoanedasthoughinpain，andsaid，’Amirror！
Swift，bringmeamirror！’
Igaveherone，andrisingonherarm，eagerlyshescannedherfaceinthedimlightoftheshadowedroom，thenlettheplateofburnishedgoldfall，andsankbackwithafaintandhappycry:
’Ifeared，’shesaid，’IfearedthatIhadbecomehideousasthosearewhomthepestilencehassmitten，andthatyouwouldceasetoloveme，thanwhichithadbeenbettertodie。’
’Forshame，’Isaid。
’Doyouthenthinkthatlovecanbefrightenedawaybysomefewscars？’
’Yes，’Otomieanswered，’thatistheloveofaman；notsuchloveasmine，husband。
HadIbeenthus——ah！Ishuddertothinkofit——
withinayearyouwouldhavehatedme。
Perhapsithadnotbeensowithanother，thefairmaidoffaraway，butmeyouwouldhavehated。
Nay，Iknowit，thoughIknowthisalso，thatIshouldnothavelivedtofeelyourhate。
Oh！Iamthankful，thankful。’
ThenIleftherforawhile，marvellingatthegreatlovewhichshehadgivenme，andwonderingalsoiftherewasanytruthinherwords，andiftheheartofmancouldbesoungratefulandsovile。
SupposingthatOtomiewasnowasmanywerewhowalkedthestreetsofTenoctitlanthatday，amassofdreadfulscars，hairless，andwithblindandwhitenedeyeballs，shouldIthenhaveshrunkfromher？
Idonotknow，andIthankheaventhatnosuchtrialwasputuponmyconstancy。
ButIamsureofthis；hadIbecomealepereven，Otomiewouldnothaveshrunkfromme。
SoOtomierecoveredfromhergreatsickness，andshortlyafterwardsthepestilencepassedawayfromTenoctitlan。
AndnowIhadmanyotherthingstothinkof，forthechoosingofGuatemoc——myfriendandbloodbrother——asemperormeantmuchadvancementtome，whowasmadeageneralofthehighestclass，andaprincipaladviserinhiscouncils。
NordidIsparemyselfinhisservice，butlabouredbydayandnightintheworkofpreparingthecityforsiege，andinthemarshallingofthetroops，andmoreespeciallyofthatarmyofOtomies，whocame，astheyhadpromised，tothenumberoftwentythousand。
Theworkwashardindeed，fortheseIndiantribeslackeddisciplineandpowersofunity，withoutwhichtheirthousandswereoflittleavailinawarwithwhitemen。
Alsothereweregreatjealousiesbetweentheirleaderswhichmustbeovercome，andIwasmyselfanobjectofjealousy。
Moreover，manytribestookthisoccasionofthetroubleoftheAztecstothrowofftheirallegianceorvassalage，andeveniftheydidnotjointheSpaniards，toremainneutralwatchingfortheeventofthewar。
Stillwelabouredon，dividingthearmiesintoregimentsafterthefashionofEurope，andstationingeachinitsownquarterdrillingthemtothebetteruseofarms，provisioningthecityforasiege，andweedingoutasmanyuselessmouthsaswemight；andtherewasbutonemaninTenoctitlanwhotoiledatthesetasksmoreheavilythanI，andthatwasGuatemoctheemperor，whodidnotrestdayornight。
ItriedeventomakepowderwithsulphurwhichwasbroughtfromthethroatofthevolcanPopo，but，havingnoknowledgeofthatart，Ifailed。
Indeed，itwouldhaveavaileduslittlehadI
succeeded，forhavingneitherarquebussesnorcannons，andnoskilltocastthem，wecouldonlyhaveuseditinminingroadsandgateways，and，perhaps，ingrenadestobethrownwiththehand。
Andsothemonthswenton，tillatlengthspiescameinwiththetidingsthattheSpaniardswereadvancinginnumbers，andwiththemcountlesshostsofallies。
NowIwouldhavesentOtomietoseeksafetyamongherownpeople，butshelaughedmetoscorn，andsaid:
’Whereyouare，thereIwillbe，husband。
What，shallitbesufferedthatyoufacedeath，perhapstofindhim，whenIamnotatyoursidetodiewithyou？
Ifthatisthefashionofwhitewomen，Ileaveittothem，beloved，andherewithyouIstay。’
