DidIspeaklies？
Nay，Ispoketruth，forthroughthetreasonofhertribes，andchieflythroughthetreasonoftheTlascalans，Anahuacisfallen，andTenoctitlanisaruinsownwithdeadlikeafieldwithcorn。’
’Itistrue，’criedavoice。
’Yes，peopleoftheOtomie，itistrue，butIsaythathadallthewarriorsofthenationsofAnahuacplayedthepartthatyoursonsplayed，thetalehadrunotherwise。
Theyaredead，andbecauseoftheirdeathyouwoulddeliverustoourfoesandyours，butIforonedonotmournthem，thoughamongtheirnumberaremanyofmykin。
Nay，benotwroth，butlisten。
Itisbetterthattheyshouldliedeadinhonour，havingearnedforthemselvesawreathoffame，andanimmortaldwellingintheHousesoftheSun，thanthattheyshouldlivetobeslaves，whichitseemsisyourdesire，peopleoftheOtomie。
ThereisnofalsewordinwhatIsaidtoyou。
NowthesticksthatMalinchehasusedtobeatoutthebrainsofGuatemocshallbebrokenandburnttocookthepotoftheTeules。
Alreadythesefalsechildrenarehisslaves。
Haveyounotheardhiscommand，thatthetribeshisalliesshalllabourinthequarriesandthestreetstillthegloriouscitywhichhehasburnedrisesafreshuponthefaceofthewaters？
Willyounothastentotakeyourshareinthework，peopleoftheOtomie，theworkthatknowsnorestandnorewardexceptthelashoftheoverseerandthecurseoftheTeule？
Surelyyouwillhasten，peopleofthemountains！
Yourhandsareshapedtothespadeandthetrowel，nottothebowandthespear，anditwillbesweetertotoiltodothewillandswellthewealthofMalincheinthesunofthevalleyortheshadowofthemine，thantobideherefreeuponyourhillswhereasyetnofoehassethisfoot！’
Againshepaused，andamurmurofdoubtandunrestwentthroughthethousandswholistened。
Maxtlasteppedforwardandwouldhavespoken，butthepeopleshoutedhimdown，crying:’Otomie，Otomie！
LetushearthewordsofOtomie。’
’Ithankyou，mypeople，’shesaid，’forIhavestillmuchtotellyou。
Ourcrimeisthen，thatwedrewanarmyafterustofightagainsttheTeules。
Andhowdidwedrawthisarmy？
DidIcommandyoutomusteryourarray？
Nay，IsetoutmycaseandIsaid“Nowchoose。“
Youchose，andofyourownfreewillyoudespatchedthosegloriouscompaniesthatnowaredead。
Mycrimeisthereforethatyouchosewronglyasyousay，butasIstillhold，mostrightly，andbecauseofthiscrimeIandmyhusbandaretobegivenasapeaceofferingtotheTeules。
Listen:letmetellyousomethingofthosewarsinwhichwehavefoughtbeforeyougiveustotheTeulesandourmouthsaresilentforever。
WhereshallIbegin？
Iknownot。
Stay，Iboreachild——hadhelivedhewouldhavebeenyourprinceto-day。
ThatchildIsawstarvetodeathbeforemyeyes，inchbyinchanddaybydayIsawhimstarve。
Butitisnothing；
whoamIthatIshouldcomplainbecauseIhavelostmyson，whensomanyofyoursonsaredeadandtheirbloodisrequiredatmyhands？
Listenagain:’andshewentontotellinburningwordsofthehorrorsofthesiege，ofthecrueltiesoftheSpaniards，andofthebraveryofthemenoftheOtomiewhomIhadcommanded。
Forafullhourshespokethus，whileallthatvastaudiencehunguponherwords。
AlsoshetoldofthepartthatIplayedinthestruggle，andofthedeedswhichIhaddone，andnowandagainsomesoldierinthecrowdwhoservedunderme，andwhohadescapedthefamineandthemassacre，criedout:
’Itistrue；wesawitwithoureyes。’
’Andso，’shesaid，’atlastitwasfinished，atlastTenoctitlanwasaruinandmycousinandmyking，thegloriousGuatemoc，layaprisonerinthehandsofMalinche，andwithhimmyhusbandTeule，mysister，Imyself，andmanyanother。
MalinchesworethathewouldtreatGuatemocandhisfollowingwithallhonour。
Doyouknowhowhetreatedhim？
WithinafewdaysGuatemocourkingwasseatedinthechairoftorment，whileslavesburnedhimwithhotironstocausehimtodeclarethehidingplaceofthetreasureofMontezuma！
Ay，youmaywellcry“Shameuponhim，“youshallcryityetmoreloudlybeforeIhavedone，forknowthatGuatemocdidnotsufferalone，oneliestherewhosufferedwithhimandspokenoword，andIalso，yourprincess，wasdoomedtotorment。
Weescapedwhendeathwasatourdoor，forItoldmyhusbandthatthepeopleoftheOtomiehadtruehearts，andwouldshelterusinoursorrow，andforhissakeI，Otomie，disguisedmyselfintherobeofawantonandfledwithhimhither。
CouldIhaveknownwhatIshouldlivetoseeandhear，couldIhavedreamedthatyouwouldreceiveusthus，IhaddiedahundreddeathsbeforeIcametostandandpleadforpityatyourhands。
’Oh！mypeople，mypeople，Ibeseechofyou，makenotermswiththefalseTeule，butremainboldandfree。
Yournecksarenotfittedtotheyokeoftheslave，yoursonsanddaughtersareoftoohighabloodtoservetheforeignerinhisneedsandpleasures。
DefyMalinche。
Someofourracearedead，butmanythousandsremain。
HereinyourmountainnestyoucanbeatbackeveryTeuleinAnahuac，asinbygoneyearsthefalseTlascalansbeatbacktheAztecs。
ThentheTlascalanswerefree，nowtheyarearaceofserfs。
Say，willyousharetheirserfdom？
Mypeople，mypeople，thinknotthatIpleadformyself，orevenforthehusbandwhoismoredeartomethanaughtsavehonour。
DoyouindeeddreamthatwewillsufferyoutohanduslivingtothesedogsofTlascalans，whomMalincheinsultsyoubysendingashismessengers？
Look，’andshewalkedtowherethespearthathadbeenhurledatherlayuponthepavementandliftedit，’hereisameansofdeaththatsomefriendhassentus，andifyouwillnotlistentomypleadingyoushallseeitusedbeforeyoureyes。
Then，ifyouwill，youmaysendourbodiestoMalincheasapeaceoffering。
ButforyourownsakesIpleadwithyou。
DefyMalinche，andifyoumustdieatlast，dieasfreemenandnotastheslavesoftheTeule。
Beholdnowhistendermercies，andseethelotthatshallbeyoursifyoutakeanothercounsel，thecounselofMaxtla；’andcomingtothelitteronwhichIlay，swiftlyOtomierentmyrobesfrommeleavingmealmostnakedtothewaist，andunwoundthebandagesfrommywoundedlimb，thenliftedmeupsothatIresteduponmysoundfoot。
’Look！’shecriedinapiercingvoice，andpointingtothescarsandunhealedwoundsuponmyfaceandleg；’lookontheworkoftheTeuleandtheTlascalan，seehowthefoeisdealtwithwhosurrenderstothem。
Yieldifyouwill，desertusifyouwill，butIsaythatthenyourownbodiesshallbemarkedinalikefashion，tillnotanounceofgoldisleftthatcanministertothegreedoftheTeule，oramanoramaidenwhocanlabourtosatisfyhisindolence。’
Thensheceased，andlettingmesinkgentlytotheground，forI
couldnotstandalone，shestoodoverme，thespearinherhand，asthoughwaitingtoplungeittomyheartshouldthepeoplestilldemandoursurrendertothemessengersofCortes。
Foroneinstanttherewassilence，thenofasuddentheclamourandthetumultbrokeoutagaintentimesmorefuriouslythanatfirst。
Butitwasnolongeraimedatus。
Otomiehadconquered。
Hernoblewords，herbeauty，thetaleofoursorrowsandthesightofmytorments，haddonetheirwork，andtheheartofthepeoplewasfilledwithfuryagainsttheTeuleswhohaddestroyedtheirarmy，andtheTlascalansthathadaidedthem。
Neverdidthewitandeloquenceofawomancauseaswifterchange。
Theyscreamedandtoretheirrobesandshooktheirweaponsintheair。
Maxtlastrovetospeak，buttheypulledhimdownandpresentlyhewasflyingforhislife。
ThentheyturnedupontheTlascalanenvoysandbeatthemwithsticks，crying:
’ThisisouranswertoMalinche。
Run，youdogs，andtakeit！’tilltheyweredrivenfromthetown。
Nowatlengththeturmoilceased，andsomeofthegreatchiefscameforwardand，kissingthehandofOtomie，said:
’Princess，weyourchildrenwillguardyoutothedeath，foryouhaveputanotherheartintous。
Youareright；itisbettertodiefreethantoliveasslaves。’
’See，myhusband，’saidOtomie，’IwasnotmistakenwhenItoldyouthatmypeoplewereloyalandtrue。
Butnowwemustmakereadyforwar，fortheyhavegonetoofartoturnback，andwhenthistidingscomestotheearsofMalinchehewillbelikeapumarobbedofheryoung。
Now，letusrest，Iamveryweary。’
’Otomie，’Ianswered，’therehaslivednogreaterwomanthanyouuponthisearth。’
’Icannottell，husband，’shesaid，smiling；’ifIhavewonyourpraiseandsafety，itisenoughforme。’
NowforawhilewedweltinquietattheCityofPines，andbyslowdegreesandwithmuchsufferingIrecoveredfromthewoundsthatthecruelhandofdeGarciahadinflicteduponme。
Butweknewthatthispeacecouldnotlast，andthepeopleoftheOtomieknewitalso，forhadtheynotscourgedtheenvoysofMalincheoutofthegatesoftheircity？
Manyofthemwerenowsorrythatthishadbeendone，butitwasdone，andtheymustreapastheyhadsown。
Sotheymadereadyforwar，andOtomiewasthepresidentoftheircouncils，inwhichIshared。
AtlengthcamenewsthataforceoffiftySpaniardswithfivethousandTlascalanallieswereadvancingonthecitytodestroyus。
ThenItookcommandofthetribesmenoftheOtomie——thereweretenthousandormoreofthem，allwell-armedaftertheirownfashion——andadvancedoutofthecitytillIwastwo-thirdsofthewaydownthegorgewhichleadstoit。
ButIdidnotbringallmyarmydownthisgorge，sincetherewasnoroomforthemtofightthere，andIhadanotherplan。
Isentsomeseventhousandmenroundthemountains，ofwhichthesecretpathswerewellknowntothem，biddingthemclimbtothecrestoftheprecipicesthatborderedeithersideofthegorge，andthere，atcertainplaceswherethecliffissheerandmorethanonethousandfeetinheight，tomakeagreatprovisionofstones。
Therestofmyarmy，exceptingfivehundredwhomIkeptwithme，I
armedwithbowsandthrowingspears，andstationedtheminambushinconvenientplaceswherethesidesofthecliffwerebroken，andinsuchfashionthatrocksfromabovecouldnotberolledonthem。
ThenIsenttrustymenasspiestowarnmeoftheapproachoftheSpaniards，andotherswhosemissionitwastoofferthemselvestothemasguides。
NowIthoughtmyplangood，andeverythinglookedwell，andyetitmissedfailurebutbyaverylittle。
ForMaxtla，ourenemyandthefriendoftheSpaniards，wasinmycamp——indeed，IhadbroughthimwithmethatImightwatchhim——andhehadnotbeenidle。
ForwhentheSpaniardswerehalfaday’smarchfromthemouthofthedefile，oneofthosemenwhomIhadtoldofftowatchtheiradvance，cametomeandmadeitknownthatMaxtlahadbribedhimtogototheleaderoftheSpaniardsanddisclosetohimtheplanoftheambuscade。
Thismanhadtakenthebribeandstartedonhiserrandoftreachery，buthisheartfailedhimand，returning，hetoldmeall。
ThenIcausedMaxtlatobeseized，andbeforenightfallhehadpaidthepriceofhiswickedness。
