ThenCortessenthasheraldsdemandingoursurrender，andnowthree-fourthsofthecitywasaruin，andthree-fourthsofitsdefendersweredead。
Thedeadwereheapedinthehouseslikebeesstifledinahive，andinthestreetstheylaysothickthatwewalkeduponthem。
Thecouncilwassummoned——fiercemen，haggardwithhungerandwithwar，andtheyconsideredtheofferofCortes。
’Whatisyourword，Guatemoc？’saidtheirspokesmanatlast。
’AmIMontezuma，thatyouaskme？
Isworetodefendthiscitytothelast，’heansweredhoarsely，’and，formypart，Iwilldefendit。
Betterthatweshouldalldie，thanthatweshouldfalllivingintothehandsoftheTeules。’
’Sosaywe，’theyreplied，andthewarwenton。
AtlengththerecameadaywhentheSpaniardsmadeanewattackandgainedanotherportionofthecity。
Therethepeoplewerehuddledtogetherlikesheepinapen。
Westrovetodefendthem，butourarmswereweakwithfamine。
Theyfiredintouswiththeirpieces，mowingusdownlikecornbeforethesickle。
ThentheTlascalanswerelooseduponus，likefiercehoundsuponadefencelessbuck，andonthisdayitissaidthattherediedfortythousandpeople，fornonewerespared。
Onthemorrow，itwasthelastdayofthesiege，cameafreshembassyfromCortes，askingthatGuatemocshouldmeethim。
Theanswerwasthesame，fornothingcouldconquerthatnoblespirit。
’Tellhim，’saidGuatemoc，’thatIwilldiewhereIam，butthatI
willholdnoparleywithhim。
Wearehelpless，letCortesworkhispleasureonus。’
Bynowallthecitywasdestroyed，andwewhoremainedalivewithinitsboundsweregatheredonthecausewaysandbehindtheruinsofwalls；men，women，andchildrentogether。
Heretheyattackedusagain。
Thegreatdrumontheteocallibeatforthelasttime，andforthelasttimethewildscreamoftheAztecwarriorswentuptoheaven。
Wefoughtourbest；IkilledfourmenthatdaywithmyarrowswhichOtomie，whowasatmyside，handedmeasIshot。
Butthemostofushadnotthestrengthofachild，andwhatcouldwedo？
Theycameamonguslikeseamenamongaflockofseals，andslaughteredusbyhundreds。
Theydroveusintothecanalsandtrodustodeaththere，tillbridgesweremadeofourbodies。
HowweescapedIdonotknow。
Atlengthapartyofus，amongwhomwasGuatemocwithhiswifeTecuichpo，weredriventotheshoresofthelakewherelaycanoes，andintotheseweentered，scarcelyknowingwhatwedid，butthinkingthatwemightescape，fornowallthecitywastaken。
Thebrigantinessawusandsailedafteruswithafavouringwind——thewindalwaysfavouredthefoeinthatwar——androwaswewould，oneofthemcameupwithusandbegantofireintous。
ThenGuatemocstoodupandspoke，saying:
’IamGuatemoc。
BringmetoMalinche。
Butsparethoseofmypeoplewhoremainalive。’
’Now，’IsaidtoOtomieatmyside，’myhourhascome，fortheSpaniardswillsurelyhangme，anditisinmymind，wife，thatI
shoulddowelltokillmyself，sothatImaybesavedfromadeathofshame。’
’Nay，husband，’sheansweredsadly，’asIsaidinbygonedays，whileyoulivethereishope，butthedeadcomebacknomore。
Fortunemayfavourusyet；still，ifyouthinkotherwise，Iamreadytodie。’
’ThatIwillnotsuffer，Otomie。’
’Thenyoumustholdyourhand，husband，fornowasalways，whereyougo，Ifollow。’
’Listen，’Iwhispered；’donotletitbeknownthatyouaremywife；passyourselfasoneoftheladiesofTecuichpo，thequeen，yoursister。
Ifweareseparated，andifbyanychanceIescape，I
willtrytomakemywaytotheCityofPines。
There，amongyourownpeople，wemayfindrefuge。’
’Sobeit，beloved，’sheanswered，smilingsadly。
’ButIdonotknowhowtheOtomiewillreceiveme，whohaveledtwentythousandoftheirbravestmentoadreadfuldeath。’
Nowwewereonthedeckofthebrigantineandmuststoptalking，andthence，aftertheSpaniardshadquarrelledoverusawhile，weweretakenashoreandledtothetopofahousewhichstillstood，whereCorteshadmadereadyhurriedlytoreceivehisroyalprisoner。
Surroundedbyhisescort，theSpanishgeneralstood，capinhand，andbyhissidewasMarina，grownmorelovelythanbefore，whomInowmetforthefirsttimesincewehadpartedinTobasco。
Oureyesmetandshestarted，therebyshowingthatsheknewmeagain，thoughitmusthavebeenhardforMarinatorecogniseherfriendTeuleintheblood-stained，starving，andtatteredwretchwhocouldscarcelyfindstrengthtoclimbtheazotea。
Butatthattimenowordspassedbetweenus，foralleyeswerebentonthemeetingbetweenCortesandGuatemoc，betweentheconquerorandtheconquered。
Stillproudanddefiant，thoughheseemedbutalivingskeleton，GuatemocwalkedstraighttowheretheSpaniardstood，andspoke，Marinatranslatinghiswords。
’IamGuatemoc，theemperor，Malinche，’hesaid。
’Whatamanmightdotodefendhispeople，Ihavedone。
Lookonthefruitsofmylabour，’andhepointedtotheblackenedruinsofTenoctitlanthatstretchedoneverysidefarastheeyecouldreach。
’NowIhavecometothispass，forthegodsthemselveshavebeenagainstme。
Dealwithmeasyouwill，butitwillbebestthatyoukillmenow，’andhetouchedthedaggerofCorteswithhishand，’andthusridmeswiftlyofthemiseryoflife。’
’Fearnot，Guatemoc，’answeredCortes。
’Youhavefoughtlikeabraveman，andsuchIhonour。
Withmeyouaresafe，forweSpaniardsloveagallantfoe。
See，hereisfood，’andhepointedtoatablespreadwithsuchviandsaswehadnotseenformanyaweek；’eat，youandyourcompanionstogether，foryoumustneedit。
Afterwardswewilltalk。’
Soweate，andheartily，Iformypartthinkingthatitwouldbewelltodieuponafullstomach，havingfaceddeathsolonguponanemptyone，andwhilewedevouredthemeattheSpaniardsstoodononesidescanningus，notwithoutpity。
Presently，TecuichpowasbroughtbeforeCortes，andwithherOtomieandsomesixotherladies。
Hegreetedhergraciously，andtheyalsoweregiventoeat。
Now，oneoftheSpaniardswhohadbeenwatchingmewhisperedsomethingintotheearofCortes，andIsawhisfacedarken。
’Say，’hesaidtomeinCastilian，’areyouthatrenegade，thattraitorwhohasaidedtheseAztecsagainstus？’
’Iamnorenegadeandnotraitor，general，’Iansweredboldly，forthefoodandwinehadputnewlifeintome。
’IamanEnglishman，andIhavefoughtwiththeAztecsbecauseIhavegoodcausetohateyouSpaniards。’
’Youshallsoonhavebetter，traitor，’hesaidfuriously。
’Here，leadthismanawayandhanghimonthemastofyondership。’
NowIsawthatitwasfinished，andmadereadytogotomydeath，whenMarinaspokeintotheearofCortes。
AllshesaidIcouldnotcatch，butIheardthewords’hiddengold。’
Helistened，thenhesitated，andspokealoud:’Donothangthismanto-day。
Lethimbesafelyguarded。
TomorrowIwillinquireintohiscase。’
AtthewordsofCortestwoSpaniardscameforward，andseizingmeonebyeitherarm，theyledmeacrosstheroofofthehousetowardsthestairway。
Otomiehadheardalso，andthoughshedidnotunderstandthewords，shereadthefaceofCortes，andknewwellthatIwasbeingtakentoimprisonmentordeath。
AsIpassedher，shestartedforward，aterrorshininginhereyes。
Fearingthatshewasabouttothrowherselfuponmybreast，andthustorevealherselfasmywife，andbringmyfateuponher，Iglancedatherwarningly，thenmakingpretencetostumble，asthoughwithfearandexhaustion，Ifellatherfeet。
Thesoldierswholedmelaughedbrutally，andoneofthemkickedmewithhisheavyboot。
ButOtomiestoopeddownandheldherhandtometohelpmerise，andasIdidso，wespokelowandswiftly。
’Farewell，wife，’Isaid；’whateverhappens，keepsilent。’
’Farewell，’sheanswered；’ifyoumustdie，awaitmeinthegatesofdeath，forIwilljoinyouthere。’
’Nay，liveon。
Timeshallbringcomfort。’
’Youaremylife，beloved。
Withyoutimeendsforme。’
NowIwasonmyfeetagain，andIthinkthatnonenotedourwhisperedwords，forallwerelisteningtoCortes，whoratedthemanthathadkickedme。
’Ibadeyouguardthistraitor，nottokickhim，’hesaidangrilyinCastilian。
’Willyouputustoopenshamebeforethesesavages？
Dosooncemore，andyoushallpayforitsmartly。
Learnalessoningentlenessfromthatwoman；sheisstarving，yetsheleavesherfoodtohelpyourprisonertohisfeet。
Nowtakehimawaytothecamp，andseethathecomestonoharm，forhecantellmemuch。’
Thenthesoldiersledmeaway，grumblingastheywent，andthelastthingthatIsawwasthedespairingfaceofOtomiemywife，asshegazedafterme，faintwiththesecretagonyofourparting。
ButwhenIcametotheheadofthestairway，Guatemoc，whostoodnear，tookmyhandandshookit。
’Farewell，mybrother，’hesaidwithaheavysmile；’thegameweplayedtogetherisfinished，andnowitistimeforustorest。
I
thankyouforyourvalourandyouraid。’
’Farewell，Guatemoc，’Ianswered。
’Youarefallen，butletthiscomfortyou，inyourfallyouhavefoundimmortalfame。’
’On，on！’growledthesoldiers，andIwent，littlethinkinghowGuatemocandIshouldmeetagain。
Theytookmetoacanoe，andwewerepaddledacrossthelakebyTlascalans，tillatlengthwecametotheSpanishcamp。
Allthejourneythrough，myguards，thoughtheylaidnohandonme，fearingtheangerofCortes，mockedandtauntedme，askingmehowIlikedthewaysoftheheathen，andwhetherIatethefleshofthesacrificesraworcooked；andmanyanothersuchbrutaljesttheymadeatmyexpense。
ForawhileIboreit，forIhadlearnedtobepatientfromtheIndians，butatlastIansweredtheminfewwordsandbitter。
’Peace，cowards，’Isaid；’rememberthatIamhelpless，andthatwereIbeforeyoustrongandarmed，eitherIshouldnotlivetolistentosuchwords，oryouwouldnotlivetorepeatthem。’
Thentheyweresilent，andIalsowassilent。
WhenwereachedtheircampIwasledthroughit，followedbyathrongoffierceTlascalansandothers，whowouldhavetornmelimbfromlimbhadtheynotfearedtodoso。
