Ay，theymustdie，butattheleasttheywouldseektheMansionsoftheSunmadeholybythebloodoftheaccursedTeule。
Ihavesaidthatitwasthewomenwhosangthischantandglaredsofiercelyuponthevictims，butIhavenotyettoldallthehorrorofwhatIsaw，forinthefore-frontoftheircircle，cladinwhiterobes，theneckletofgreatemeralds，Guatemoc’sgift，flashinguponherbreast，theplumesofroyalgreensetinherhair，givingthetimeofthedeathchantwithalittlewand，stoodMontezuma’sdaughter，Otomiemywife。
NeverhadIseenherlooksobeautifulorsodreadful。
ItwasnotOtomiewhomIsaw，forwherewasthetendersmileandwherethegentleeyes？
HerebeforemewasalivingVengeancewearingtheshapeofwoman。
InaninstantI
guessedthetruth，thoughIdidnotknowitall。
Otomie，whoalthoughshewasnotofit，hadeverfavouredtheChristianfaith，Otomie，whoforyearshadneverspokenofthesedreadfulritesexceptwithanger，whoseeveryactwasloveandwhoseeverywordwaskindness，wasstillinhersoulanidolaterandasavage。
Shehadhiddenthissideofherheartfrommewellthroughalltheseyears，perchancesheherselfhadscarcelyknownitssecret，forbuttwicehadIseenanythingoftheburiedfiercenessofherblood。
ThefirsttimewaswhenMarinahadbroughtheracertainrobeinwhichshemightescapefromthecampofCortes，andshehadspokentoMarinaofthatrobe；andthesecondwhenonthissamedayshehadplayedherparttotheTlascalan，andhadstruckhimdownwithherownhandashebentoverme。
Allthisandmuchmorepassedthroughmymindinthatbriefmoment，whileOtomiemarkedthetimeofthedeathchant，andthepabasdraggedtheTlascalantohisdoom。
ThenextIwasatherside。
’Whatpasseshere？’Iaskedsternly。
Otomielookedonmewithacoldwonder，andemptyeyesasthoughshedidnotknowme。
’Goback，whiteman，’sheanswered；’itisnotlawfulforstrangerstomingleinourrites。’
Istoodbewildered，notknowingwhattodo，whiletheflameburnedandthechantwentupbeforetheeffigyofHuitzel，ofthedemonHuitzelawakenedaftermanyyearsofsleep。
Againandyetagainthesolemnchantarose，Otomiebeatingtimewithherlittlerodofebony，andagainandyetagainthecryoftriumphrosetothesilentstars。
NowIawokefrommydream，forasanevildreamitseemedtome，anddrawingmyswordIrushedtowardsthepriestatthealtartocuthimdown。
Butthoughthemenstoodstillthewomenweretooquickforme。
BeforeIcouldliftthesword，beforeIcouldevenspeakaword，theyhadsprunguponmelikethejaguarsoftheirownforests，andlikejaguarstheyhissedandgrowledintomyear:
’Getyougone，Teule，’theysaid，’lestwestretchyouonthestonewithyourbrethren。’
Andstillhissingtheypushedmethence。
Idrewbackandthoughtforawhileintheshadowofthetemple。
Myeyefelluponthelonglineofvictimsawaitingtheirturnofsacrifice。
Therewerethirtyandoneofthemstillalive，andofthesefivewereSpaniards。
InotedthattheSpaniardswerechainedthelastofalltheline。
Itseemedthatthemurdererswouldkeepthemtilltheendofthefeast，indeedIdiscoveredthattheyweretobeofferedupattherisingofthesun。
HowcouldIsavethem，Iwondered。
Mypowerwasgone。
Thewomencouldnotbemovedfromtheirworkofvengeance；theyweremadwiththeirsufferings。
Aswellmightamantrytosnatchherpreyfromapumarobbedofherwhelps，astoturnthemfromtheirpurpose。
Withthemenitwasotherwise，however。
Someofthemmingledintheorgieindeed，butmorestoodaloofwatchingwithafearfuljoythespectacleinwhichtheydidnotshare。
Nearmewasaman，anobleoftheOtomie，ofsomethingmorethanmyownage。
Hehadalwaysbeenmyfriend，andaftermehecommandedthewarriorsofthetribe。
Iwenttohimandsaid，’Friend，forthesakeofthehonourofyourpeople，helpmetoendthis。’
’Icannot，Teule，’heanswered，’andbewarehowyoumeddleintheplay，fornonewillstandbyyou。
Nowthewomenhavepower，andyouseetheyuseit。
Theyareabouttodie，butbeforetheydietheywilldoastheirfathersdid，fortheirstraitissore，andthoughtheyhavebeenputaside，theoldcustomsarenotforgotten。’
’AttheleastcanwenotsavetheseTeules？’Ianswered。
’WhyshouldyouwishtosavetheTeules？
Willtheysaveussomefewdayshence，whenWEareintheirpower？’
’Perhapsnot，’Isaid，’butifwemustdie，letusdiecleanfromthisshame。’
’Whatthendoyouwishmetodo，Teule？’
’This:Iwouldhaveyoufindsomethreeorfourmenwhoarenotfallenintothismadness，andwiththemaidmetoloosetheTeules，forwecannotsavetheothers。
Ifthismaybedone，surelywecanlowerthemwithropesfromthatpointwheretheroadisbrokenaway，downtothepathbeneath，andthustheymayescapetotheirownpeople。’
’Iwilltry，’heanswered，shrugginghisshoulders，’notfromanytendernesstowardstheaccursedTeules，whomIcouldwellbeartoseestretcheduponthestone，butbecauseitisyourwish，andforthesakeofthefriendshipbetweenus。’
Thenhewent，andpresentlyIsawseveralmenplacethemselves，asthoughbychance，betweenthespotwherethelastofthelineofIndianprisoners，andthefirstoftheSpaniardsweremadefast，insuchafashionastohidethemfromthesightofthemaddenedwomen，engrossedastheywereintheirorgies。
NowIcreptuptotheSpaniards。
Theyweresquattedupontheground，boundbytheirhandsandfeettothecopperringsinthepavement。
Theretheysatsilentlyawaitingthedreadfuldoom，theirfacesgreywithterror，andtheireyesstartingfromtheirsockets。
’Hist！’IwhisperedinSpanishintotheearofthefirst，anoldmanwhomIknewasonewhohadtakenpartinthewarsofCortes。
’Wouldyoubesaved？’
Helookedupquickly，andsaidinahoarsevoice:
’Whoareyouthattalkofsavingus？
Whocansaveusfromtheseshedevils？’
’IamTeule，amanofwhitebloodandaChristian，andalasthatI
mustsayit，thecaptainofthissavagepeople。
Withtheaidofsomefewmenwhoarefaithfultome，Ipurposetocutyourbonds，andafterwardsyoushallsee。
Know，Spaniard，thatIdothisatgreatrisk，forifwearecaught，itisachancebutthatImyselfshallhavetosufferthosethingsfromwhichIhopetorescueyou。’
’Beassured，Teule，’answeredtheSpaniard，’thatifweshouldgetsafeaway，weshallnotforgetthisservice。
Saveourlivesnow，andthetimemaycomewhenweshallpayyoubackwithyours。
Butevenifweareloosed，howcanwecrosstheopenspaceinthismoonlightandescapetheeyesofthosefuries？’
’Wemusttrusttochanceforthat，’Ianswered，andasIspoke，fortunehelpedusstrangely，forbynowtheSpaniardsintheircampbelowhadperceivedwhatwasgoingforwardonthecrestoftheteocalli。
Ayellofhorrorrosefromthemandinstantlytheyopenedfireuponuswiththeirpiecesandarquebusses，though，becauseoftheshapeofthepyramidandoftheirpositionbeneathit，thestormofshotsweptoverus，doinguslittleornohurt。
Alsoagreatcompanyofthempouredacrossthecourtyard，hopingtostormthetemple，fortheydidnotknowthattheroadhadbeenbrokenaway。
Now，thoughtheritesofsacrificeneverceased，whatwiththeroarofcannon，theshoutsofrageandterrorfromtheSpaniards，thehissofmusketballs，andthecracklingofflamesfromhouseswhichtheyhadfiredtogivethemmorelight，andthesoundofchanting，theturmoilandconfusiongrewsogreatastorenderthecarryingoutofmypurposeeasierthanIhadhoped。
Bythistimemyfriend，thecaptainoftheOtomie，wasatmyside，andwithhimseveralmenwhomhecouldtrust。
Stoopingdown，withafewswiftblowsofaknifeIcuttheropeswhichboundtheSpaniards。
Thenwegatheredourselvesintoaknot，twelveofusormore，andinthecentreoftheknotwesetthefiveSpaniards。
Thisdone，Idrewmyswordandcried:
’TheTeulesstormthetemple！’whichwastrue，foralreadytheirlonglinewasrushingupthewindingpath。
’TheTeulesstormthetemple，Igotostopthem，’andstraightwaywespedacrosstheopenspace。
Nonesawus，oriftheysawus，nonehinderedus，forallthecompanywereintentupontheconsummationofafreshsacrifice；
moreover，thetumultwassuch，asIafterwardsdiscovered，thatwewerescarcelynoticed。
Twominutespassed，andourfeetweresetuponthewindingway，andnowIbreathedagain，forwewerebeyondthesightofthewomen。
OnwerushedswiftlyasthecrampedlimbsoftheSpaniardswouldcarrythem，tillpresentlywereachedthatangleinthepathwherethebreachbegan。
TheattackingSpaniardshadalreadycometothefurthersideofthegap，forthoughwecouldnotseethem，wecouldheartheircriesofrageanddespairastheyhaltedhelplesslyandunderstoodthattheircomradeswerebeyondtheiraid。
’Nowwearesped，’saidtheSpaniardwithwhomIhadspoken；’theroadisgone，anditmustbecertaindeathtotrythesideofthepyramid。’
’Notso，’Ianswered；’somefiftyfeetbelowthepathstillruns，andonebyonewewillloweryoutoitwiththisrope。’
Thenwesettowork。
Makingthecordfastbeneaththearmsofasoldierwelethimdowngently，tillhecametothepath，andwasreceivedtherebyhiscomradesasamanreturnedfromthedead。
ThelasttobeloweredwasthatSpaniardwithwhomIhadspoken。
’Farewell，’hesaid，’andmaytheblessingofGodbeonyouforthisactofmercy，renegadethoughyouare。
Say，now，willyounotcomewithme？
Isetmylifeandhonourinpledgeforyoursafety。
YoutellmethatyouarestillaChristianman。
IsthataplaceforChristians？’andhepointedupwards。
’No，indeed，’Ianswered，’butstillIcannotcome，formywifeandsonarethere，andImustreturntodiewiththemifneedbe。
Ifyoubearmeanygratitude，striveinreturntosavetheirlives，sinceformyownIcarebutlittle。’
’ThatIwill，’hesaid，andthenwelethimdownamonghisfriends，whomhereachedinsafety。
Nowwereturnedtothetemple，givingitoutthattheSpaniardswereinretreat，havingfailedtocrossthebreachintheroadway。
Herebeforethetempletheorgiestillwenton。
ButtwoIndiansremainedalive；andthepriestsofsacrificegrewweary。
’WherearetheTeules？’criedavoice。
’Swift！stripthemforthealtar。’
ButtheTeulesweregone，nor，searchwheretheywould，couldtheyfindthem。
’TheirGodhastakenthembeneathHiswing，’Isaid，speakingfromtheshadowandinafeignedvoice。
’HuitzelcannotprevailbeforetheGodoftheTeules。’
ThenIslippedaside，sothatnoneknewthatitwasIwhohadspoken，butthecrywascaughtupandechoedfarandwide。
’TheGodoftheChristianshashiddenthembeneathHiswing。
LetusmakemerrywiththosewhomHerejects，’saidthecry，andthelastofthecaptivesweredraggedaway。
NowIthoughtthatallwasfinished，butthiswasnotso。
IhavespokenofthesecretpurposewhichIreadinthesulleneyesoftheIndianwomenastheylabouredatthebarricades，andIwasabouttoseeitsexecution。
