lookedathiminhisdarkSpanishbeauty，hisrichgarmentsdeckedwithchainsofgold，ashebowedbeforeCorteshatinhand，IwasfaintoconfessthatIhadneverseenamoregallantcavalier，oronewhoseaspectgavetheliesowhollytotheblackheartwithin。
Butknowinghimforwhathewas，myverybloodquiveredwithhateatthesightofhim，andwhenIthoughtofmyownimpotenceandoftheerrandonwhichhehadcome，IgroundmyteethandcursedthedaythatIwasborn。
AsfordeGarcia，hegreetedmewithalittlecruelsmile，thenspoketoCortes。
’Yourpleasure，general？’
’Greetingtoyou，comrade，’answeredCortes。
’Youknowthisrenegade？’
’Buttoowell，general。
Threetimeshehasstriventomurderme。’
’Well，youhaveescapedanditisyourhournow，Sarceda。
Hesaysthathehasaquarrelwithyou；whatisit？’
DeGarciahesitated，strokinghispeakedbeard，thenanswered:’I
amlothtotellitbecauseitisataleoferrorforwhichIhaveoftensorrowedanddonepenance。
YetIwillspeakforfearyoushouldthinkworseofmethanIdeserve。
Thismanhassomecausetomislikeme，sincetobefrank，whenIwasyoungerthanIamto-
dayandgiventothefolliesofyouth，itchancedthatinEnglandI
methismother，abeautifulSpanishladywhobyillfortunewasweddedtoanEnglishman，thisman’sfatherandaclownofclowns，whomaltreatedher。
Iwillbeshort；theladylearnedtolovemeandIworstedherhusbandinaduel。
Hencethistraitor’shateofme。’
Iheardandthoughtthatmyheartmustburstwithfury。
Toallhiswickednessandoffencesagainstme，deGarcianowhadaddedslanderofmydeadmother’shonour。
’Youlie，murderer，’Igasped，tearingattheropesthatboundme。
’Imustaskyoutoprotectmefromsuchinsult，general，’deGarciaansweredcoldly。
’Weretheprisonerworthyofmysword，Iwouldaskfurtherthathisbondsshouldbeloosedforalittlespace，butmyhonourwouldbetarnishedforeverwereItofightwithsuchashe。’
’DaretospeakthusoncemoretoagentlemanofSpain，’saidCortescoldly，’and，youheathendog，yourtongueshallbedraggedfromyouwithred-hotpincers。
Foryou，Sarceda，Ithankyouforyourconfidence。
Ifyouhavenoworsecrimethanaloveaffairuponyoursoul，IthinkthatourgoodchaplainOlmedowillfrankyouthroughthepurgatorialfires。
Butwewastewordsandtime。
ThismanhasthesecretofthetreasureofGuatemocandofMontezuma。
IfGuatemocandhisnobleswillnottellit，heatleastmaybeforcedtospeak，forthetormentsthatanIndiancanendurewithoutagroanwillsoonbringtruthbubblingfromthelipsofthiswhiteheathen。
Takehim，Sarceda，andhearken，lethimbeyourespecialcare。
Firstlethimsufferwiththeothers，andafterwards，shouldheproveobdurate，alone。
ThemethodIleavetoyou。
Shouldheconfess，summonme。’
’Pardonme，general，butthisisnotaskforanhidalgoofSpain。
Ihavebeenmorewonttopiercemyenemieswiththeswordthantotearthemwithpincers，’saiddeGarcia，butashespokeIsawagleamoftriumphshineinhisblackeyes，andheardtheringoftriumphthroughthemockangerofhisvoice。
’Iknowit，comrade。
Butthismustbedone；thoughIhateit，itmustbedone，thereisnootherway。
Thegoldisnecessarytome——
bytheMotherofGod！theknavessaythatIhavestolenit！——andI
doubtthesestubbornIndiandogswilleverspeak，howevergreattheiragony。
ThismanknowsandIgivehimovertoyoubecauseyouareacquaintedwithhiswickedness，andthatknowledgewillsteelyourheartagainstallpity。
Sparenot，comrade；rememberthathemustbeforcedtospeak。’
’Itisyourcommand，Cortes，andIwillobeyit，thoughIlovethetasklittle；withoneproviso，however，thatyougivemeyourwarrantinwriting。’
’Itshallbemadeoutatonce，’answeredthegeneral。
’Andnowawaywithhim。’
’Whereto？’
’Totheprisonthathehasleft。
Allisreadyandtherehewillfindhiscomrades。’
ThenaguardwassummonedandIwasdraggedbacktomyownplace，deGarciasayingasIwentthathewouldbewithmepresently。
AtfirstIwasnottakenintothechamberthatIhadleft，butplacedinalittleroomopeningoutofitwheretheguardslept。
HereIwaitedawhile，boundhandandfootandwatchedbytwosoldierswithdrawnswords。
AsIwaited，tornbyrageandfear，I
heardthenoiseofhammeringthroughthewall，followedbyasoundofgroans。
Atlengththesuspensecametoanend；adoorwasopened，andtwofierceTlascalanIndianscamethroughitandseizedmebythehairandears，draggingmethusintomyownchamber。
’Poordevil！’IheardoneoftheSpanishsoldierssayasIwent。
’Apostateorno，Iamsorryforhim；thisisbloodywork。’
ThenthedoorclosedandIwasintheplaceoftorment。
Theroomwasdarkened，foraclothhadbeenhunginfrontofthewindowbars，butitsgloomwasrelievedbycertainfiresthatburnedinbraziers。
ItwasbythelightofthesefireschieflythatIsawthesight。
Onthefloorofthechamberwereplacedthreesolidchairs，oneofthemempty。
TheothertwowerefilledbynoneotherthanGuatemoc，EmperoroftheAztecs，andbyhisfriendandminethecaciqueofTacuba。
Theywereboundinthechairs，theburningbrazierswereplacedattheirfeet，behindthemstoodaclerkwithpaperandaninkhorn，andaroundthemIndianswerebusyatsomedreadfultask，directedtoitbytwoSpanishsoldiers。
NearthethirdchairstoodanotherSpaniardwhoasyettooknopartintheplay；itwasdeGarcia。
AsIlooked，anIndianliftedoneofthebraziersandseizingthenakedfootoftheTacubanprince，thrustitdownupontheglowingcoals。
Forawhiletherewassilence，thentheTacubanbrokeintogroans。
Guatemocturnedhisheadtowardshimandspoke，andashespokeIsawthathisfootalsowasrestingintheflamesofabrazier。
’Whydoyoucomplain，friend，’
hesaid，inasteadyvoice，’whenIkeepsilence？
AmIthentakingmypleasureinabed？
Followmenowasalways，friend，andbesilentbeneathyoursufferings。’
Theclerkwrotedownhiswords，forIheardthequillscratchingonthepaper，andashewrote，Guatemocturnedhisheadandsawme。
Hisfacewasgreywithpain，stillhespokeasahundredtimesI
hadheardhimspeakatcouncil，slowlyandclearly。
’Alas！areyoualsohere，myfriendTeule？’hesaid；’Ihopedthattheyhadsparedyou。
SeehowtheseSpaniardskeepfaith。
Malinchesworetotreatmewithallhonour；beholdhowhehonoursme，withhotcoalsformyfeetandpincersformyflesh。
Theythinkthatwehaveburiedtreasure，Teule，andwouldwringitssecretfromus。
Youknowthatitisalie。
Ifwehadtreasurewouldwenotgiveitgladlytoourconquerors，thegod-bornsonsofQuetzal？
Youknowthatthereisnothingleftexcepttheruinsofourcitiesandthebonesofourdead。’
Hereheceasedsuddenly，forthedemonwhotormentedhimstruckhimacrossthemouthsaying，’Silence，dog。’
ButIunderstood，andIsworeinmyheartthatIwoulddieereI
revealedmybrother’ssecret。
ThiswasthelasttriumphthatGuatemoccouldwin，tokeephisgoldfromthegraspofthegreedySpaniard，andthatvictoryatleastheshouldnotlosethroughme。
SoIswore，andverysoonmyoathmustbeputtothetest，foratamotionfromdeGarciatheTlascalansseizedmeandboundmetothethirdchair。
ThenhespokeintomyearinCastilian:’StrangearethewaysofProvidence，CousinWingfield。
Youhavehuntedmeacrosstheworld，andseveraltimeswehavemet，alwaystoyoursorrow。
IthoughtI
hadyouintheslaveship，Ithoughtthatthesharkshadyouinthewater，butsomehowyouescapedmewhomyoucametohunt。
WhenI
knewitIgrieved，butnowIgrievenomore，forIseethatyouwerereservedforthismoment。
CousinWingfield，itshallgohardifyouescapemethistime，andyetIthinkthatweshallspendsomedaystogetherbeforewepart。
NowIwillbecourteouswithyou。
Youmayhaveachoiceofevils。
Howshallwebegin？
Theresourcesatmycommandarenotallthatwecouldwish，alas！theHolyOfficeisnotyetherewithitsunholyarmoury，butstillI
havedonemybest。
Thesefellowsdonotunderstandtheirart:hotcoalsaretheironlyinspiration。
I，yousee，haveseveral，’andhepointedtovariousinstrumentsoftorture。
’Whichwillyouselect？’
Imadenoanswer，forIhaddeterminedthatIwouldspeaknowordandutternocry，dowhattheymightwithme。
’Letmethink，letmethink，’wentondeGarcia，smoothinghisbeard。
’Ah，Ihaveit。
Here，slaves。’
NowIwillnotrenewmyownagonies，orawakethehorrorofanywhomaychancetoreadwhatIhavewrittenbydescribingwhatbefellmeafterthis。
Sufficeittosaythatfortwohoursandmorethisdevil，helpedinhistaskbytheTlascalans，workedhiswickedwilluponme。
Onebyonetormentswereadministeredtomewithaskillandingenuitythatcannotoftenhavebeensurpassed，andwhenattimesIfaintedIwasrecoveredbycoldwaterbeingdasheduponmeandspiritspoureddownmythroat。
Andyet，Isayitwithsomepride，duringthosetwodreadfulhoursIutterednogroanhowevergreatmysufferings，andspokenowordgoodorbad。
NorwasitonlybodilypainthatImustbear，forallthiswhilemyenemymockedmewithbitterwords，whichtormentedmysoulashisinstrumentsandhotcoalstormentedmybody。
Atlengthhepausedexhausted，andcursedmeforanobstinatepigofanEnglishman，andatthatmomentCortesenteredtheshamblesandwithhimMarina。
’Howgoesit？’hesaidlightly，thoughhisfaceturnedpaleatthesightofhorror。
’ThecaciqueofTacubahasconfessedthatgoldisburiedinhisgarden，theothertwohavesaidnothing，general，’theclerkanswered，glancingdownhispaper。
’Bravemen，indeed！’IheardCortesmuttertohimself；thensaidaloud，’Letthecaciquebecarriedto-morrowtothegardenofwhichhespeaks，thathemaypointoutthegold。
Asfortheothertwo，ceasetormentingthemforthisday。
Perhapstheymayfindanothermindbeforeto-morrow。
Itrustso，fortheirownsakesItrustso！’
ThenhedrewtothecorneroftheroomandconsultedwithSarcedaandtheothertorturers，leavingMarinafacetofacewithGuatemocandwithme。
Forawhileshestaredattheprinceasthoughinhorror，thenastrangelightcameintoherbeautifuleyes，andshespoketohiminalowvoice，sayingintheAztectongue:
