Thricewedrovethembackwithourspearsandarrows，butatthefourthchargethewaveofmensweptoverourdefence，andpouredintothedryditchbeyond。
Nowwewereforcedtoflytothenextearthwork，forwecouldnothopetofightsomanyintheopenstreet，whither，sosoonasapassagehadbeenmadefortheirhorseandordnance，theenemyfollowedus。
Herethefightwasrenewed，andthisbarricadebeingverystrong，wehelditforhardupontwohourswithmuchlosstoourselvesandtotheSpanishforce。
Againweretreatedandagainwewereassailed，andsothestrugglewentonthroughoutthelive-
longday。
Everyhourournumbersgrewfewerandourarmsfainter，butstillwefoughtondesperately。
Atthetwolastbarricades，hundredsofthewomenoftheOtomiefoughtbythesidesoftheirhusbandsandtheirbrothers。
ThelastearthworkwascapturedbytheSpaniardsjustasthesunsank，andundertheshadowofapproachingdarknessthoseofusthatremainedalivefledtotherefugewhichwehadpreparedupontheteocalli，norwasthereanyfurtherfightingduringthatnight。
Hereinthecourtyardoftheteocalli，bythelightofburninghouses，forastheyadvancedtheSpaniardsfiredthetown，wemusteredourarraytofindthattherewerelefttousinallsomefourhundredfightingmen，togetherwithacrowdofnearlytwothousandwomenandmanychildren。
NowalthoughthisteocalliwasnotquitesoloftyasthatofthegreattempleofMexico，itssidesweresteeperandeverywherefacedwithdressedstone，andtheopenspaceuponitssummitwasalmostasgreat，measuringindeedmorethanahundredpaceseveryway。
Thisareawaspavedwithblocksofmarble，andinitscentrestoodthetempleofthewar-god，wherehisstatuestillsat，althoughnoworshiphadbeenofferedtohimformanyyears；thestoneofsacrifice，thealtaroffire，andthestorehousesofthepriests。
Moreoverinfrontofthetemple，andbetweenitandthestoneofsacrifice，wasadeepcementedholethesizeofalargeroom，whichoncehadbeenusedasaplaceforthesafekeepingofgrainintimesoffamine。
ThispitIhadcausedtobefilledwithwaterbornewithgreattoiltothetopofthepyramid，andinthetempleitselfIstoredagreatquantityoffood，sothatwehadnocausetofearpresentdeathfromthirstorfamine。
Butnowwewerefacetofacewithanewtrouble。
Largeaswasthesummitofthepyramid，itwouldnotgivesheltertoahalfofournumbers，andifwedesiredtodefenditsomeofthemultitudeherdedrounditsbasemustseekrefugeelsewhere。
Callingtheleadersofthepeopletogether，Iputthematterbeforetheminfewwords，leavingthemtodecidewhatmustbedone。
Theyinturnconsultedamongthemselves，andatlengthgavemethisanswer:thatitwasagreedthatallthewoundedandagedthere，togetherwithmostofthechildren，andwiththemanyotherswhowishedtogo，shouldleavetheteocallithatnight，tofindtheirwayoutofthecityiftheycould，orifnot，totrusttothemercyoftheSpaniards。
Isaidthatitwaswell，fordeathwasoneveryside，anditmatteredlittlewhichwaymenturnedtomeetit。
Sotheyweresortedout，fifteenhundredormoreofthem，andatmidnightthegatesofthecourtyardwerethrownopen，andtheyleft。
Oh！itwasdreadfultoseethefarewellsthattookplaceinthathour。
Hereadaughterclungtotheneckofheragedfather，herehusbandsandwivesbadeeachotheralastfarewell，heremotherskissedtheirlittlechildren，andoneverysideroseupthesoundsofbitteragony，theagonyofthosewhopartedforever。
Iburiedmyfaceinmyhands，wonderingasIhadoftenwonderedbefore，howaGodwhosenameisMercycanbeartolookuponsightsthatbreaktheheartsofsinfulmentowitness。
PresentlyIraisedmyeyesandspoketoOtomie，whowasatmyside，askingherifshewouldnotsendoursonawaywiththeothers，passinghimoffasthechildofcommonpeople。
’Nay，husband，’sheanswered，’itisbetterforhimtodiewithus，thantoliveasaslaveoftheSpaniards。’
Atlengthitwasoverandthegateshadshutbehindthelastofthem。
SoonweheardthedistantchallengeoftheSpanishsentriesastheyperceivedthem，andthesoundsofsomeshotsfollowedbycries。
’DoubtlesstheTlascalansaremassacringthem，’Isaid。
Butitwasnotso。
WhenafewhadbeenkilledtheleadersoftheSpaniardsfoundthattheywagedwaruponanunarmedmob，madeupforthemostpartofagedpeople，womenandchildren，andtheircommander，BernalDiaz，amercifulmanifaroughone，orderedthattheonslaughtshouldcease。
Indeedhedidmore，forwhenalltheable-
bodiedmen，togetherwithsuchchildrenasweresufficientlystrongtobearthefatiguesoftravel，hadbeensortedouttobesoldasslaves，hesufferedtherestofthatmelancholycompanytodepartwhithertheywould。
Andsotheywent，thoughwhatbecameofthemI
donotknow。
Thatnightwespentinthecourtyardoftheteocalli，butbeforeitwaslightIcausedthewomenandchildrenwhoremainedwithus，perhapssomesixhundredinall，forveryfewoftheformerwhowereunmarried，orwhobeingmarriedwerestillyoungandcomely，hadchosentodesertourrefuge，toascendthepyramid，guessingthattheSpaniardswouldattackusatdawn。
Istayed，however，withthethreehundredfightingmenthatwerelefttome，ahundredormorehavingthrownthemselvesuponthemercyoftheSpaniards，withtherefugees，toawaittheSpanishonsetundershelterofthewallsofthecourtyard。
Atdawnitbegan，andbymidday，dowhatwecouldtostayit，thewallwasstormed，andleavingnearlyahundreddeadandwoundedbehindme，Iwasdriventothewindingwaythatledtothesummitofthepyramid。
Heretheyassaultedusagain，buttheroadwassteepandnarrow，andtheirnumbersgavethemnogreatadvantageonit，sothattheendofitwasthatwebeatthembackwithloss，andtherewasnomorefightingthatday。
Thenightwhichfollowedwespentuponthesummitofthepyramid，andformypartIwassowearythatafterIhadeatenIneversleptmoresoundly。
Nextmorningthestrugglebegananew；andthistimewithbettersuccesstotheSpaniards。
Inchbyinchundercoveroftheheavyfirefromtheirarquebussesandpieces，theyforcedusupwardandbackward。
Alldaylongthefightcontinueduponthenarrowroadthatwoundfromstagetostageofthepyramid。
Atlength，asthesunsank，acompanyofourfoes，theiradvanceguard，withshoutsofvictory，emergedupontheflatsummit，andrushedtowardsthetempleinitscentre。
Allthiswhilethewomenhadbeenwatching，butnowoneofthemsprangup，cryingwithaloudvoice:
’Seizethem；theyarebutfew。’
Thenwithafearfulscreamofrage，themobofwomencastthemselvesuponthewearySpaniardsandTlascalans，bearingthemdownbytheweightoftheirnumbers。
Manyofthemwereslainindeed，butintheendthewomenconquered，ay，andmadetheirvictimscaptive，fasteningthemwithcordstotheringsofcopperthatwereletintothestonesofthepavement，towhichinformerdaysthosedoomedtosacrificehadbeensecured，whentheirnumbersweresogreatthatthepriestsfearedlesttheyshouldescape。
I
andthesoldierswithmewatchedthissightwondering，thenIcriedout:
’What！menoftheOtomie，shallitbesaidthatourwomenoutdidusincourage？’andwithoutfurtherado，followedbyahundredormoreofmycompanions，Irusheddesperatelydownthesteepandnarrowpath。
AtthefirstcornerwemetthemainarrayofSpaniardsandtheirallies，comingupslowly，fornowtheyweresureofvictory，andsogreatwastheshockofourencounterthatmanyofthemwerehurledovertheedgeofthepath，torolldownthesteepsidesofthepyramid。
Seeingthefateoftheircomrades，thosebehindthemhalted，thenbegantoretreat。
Presentlytheweightofourrushstruckthemalso，andtheyinturnpusheduponthosebelow，tillatlengthpanicseizedthem，andwithagreatcryingthelonglineofmenthatwoundroundandroundthepyramidfromitsbasealmosttoitssummit，soughttheirsafetyinflight。
Butsomeofthemfoundnone，fortherushofthoseabovepressingwitheverincreasingforceupontheirfriendsbelow，drovemanytotheirdeath，sincehereonthepyramidtherewasnothingtoclingto，andifonceamanlosthisfootholdonthepath，hisfallwasbrokenonlywhenhisbodyreachedthecourtbeneath。
ThusinfifteenshortminutesallthattheSpaniardshadwonthisdaywaslostagain，forexcepttheprisonersatitssummit，noneofthemremainedaliveupontheteocalli；indeedsogreataterrortookthem，thatbearingwiththemtheirdeadandwounded，theyretreatedundercoverofthenighttotheircampwithoutthewallsofthecourtyard。
Now，wearybuttriumphant，wewendedbacktowardsthecrestofthepyramid，butasIturnedthecornerofthesecondanglethatwasperhapsnearlyonehundredfeetabovetheleveloftheground，athoughtstruckmeandIsetthosewithmeatatask。
Looseningtheblocksofstonethatformedtheedgeoftheroadway，werolledthemdownthesidesofthepyramid，andsolabouredonremovinglayeruponlayerofstonesandoftheearthbeneath，tillwherethepathhadbeen，wasnothingbutayawninggapthirtyfeetormoreinwidth。
’Now，’Isaid，surveyingourhandiworkbythelightoftherisingmoon，’thatSpaniardwhowouldwinournestmustfindwingstoflywith。’
’Ay，Teule，’answeredoneatmyside，’butsaywhatwingsshallWE
find？’
’ThewingsofDeath，’Isaidgrimly，andwentonmyupwardway。
ItwasnearmidnightwhenIreachedthetemple，forthelabouroflevellingtheroadtookmanyhoursandfoodhadbeensenttousfromabove。
AsIdrewnighIwasamazedtohearthesoundofsolemnchanting，andstillmorewasIamazedwhenIsawthatthedoorsofthetempleofHuitzelwereopen，andthatthesacredfirewhichhadnotshonethereformanyyearsoncemoreflaredfiercelyuponhisaltar。
Istoodstilllistening。
Didmyearstrickme，ordidIhearthedreadfulsongofsacrifice？
Nay，againitswildrefrainrangoutuponthesilence:
ToTheewesacrifice！
Saveus，OHuitzel，Huitzel，lordgod！
Irushedforward，andturningtheangleofthetempleIfoundmyselffacetofacewiththepast，forthereasinbygoneyearswerethepabascladintheirblackrobes，theirlonghairhangingabouttheirshoulders，thedreadfulknifeofglassfixedintheirgirdles；theretotherightofthestoneofsacrificewerethosedestinedtothegod，andtherebeingledtowardsitwasthefirstvictim，aTlascalanprisoner，hislimbsheldbymencladinthedressofpriests。
Nearhim，arrayedinthescarletrobeofsacrifice，stoodoneofmyowncaptains，whoIrememberedhadonceservedasapriestofTezcatbeforeidolatrywasforbiddenintheCityofPines，andaroundwereawidecircleofwomenthatwatched，andfromwhoselipsswelledtheawfulchant。
NowIunderstooditall。
Intheirlastdespair，maddenedbythelossoffathers，husbands，andchildren，bytheircruelfate，andstandingfacetofacewithcertaindeath，thefireoftheoldfaithhadburntupintheirsavagehearts。
Therewasthetemple，therewerethestoneandimplimentsofsacrifice，andtheretotheirhandswerethevictimstakeninwar。
Theywouldglutalastrevenge，theywouldsacrificetotheirfathers’godsastheirfathershaddonebeforethem，andthevictimsshouldbetakenfromtheirownvictoriousfoes。
