OftensincethatdayIhavewonderedifsomevisionofthefutureenteredintothegirl’sbreastinthathour，orifinherwrathshespokeatrandom。
IhavewonderedalsowhetherthisscenebetweenherandGuatemochadanythingtodowiththehistoryofherafterlife；ordidMarina，assheavowedtomeindaystocome，bringshameandruinonhercountryfortheloveofCortesalone？
Itishardtosay，andperhapsthesethingshadnothingtodowithwhatfollowed，forwhengreateventshavehappened，weareapttosearchoutcausesfortheminthepastthatwerenocause。
Thismayhavebeenbutapassingmoodofhersandonesoonputoutofmind，foritiscertainthatfewbuildupthetemplesoftheirlivesuponsomefirmfoundationofhopeorhate，ofdesireordespair，thoughithashappenedtometodoso，butrathertakechancefortheirarchitect——andindeedwhethertheytakehimorno，heisstillthemasterbuilder。
StillthatMarinadidnotforgetthistalkIknow，forinaftertimesIheardherremindthisveryprinceofthewordsthathadpassedbetweenthem，ay，andheardhisnobleanswertoher。
NowIhavebutonemorethingtotellofmystayinTobasco，andthenletmeontoMexico，andtothetaleofhowMontezuma’sdaughterbecamemywife，andofmyfurtherdealingswithdeGarcia。
Onthedayofourdepartureagreatsacrificeofslaveswasheldupontheteocallitopropitiatethegods，sothattheymightgiveusasafejourney，andalsoinhonourofsomefestival，fortothefestivalsoftheIndianstherewasnoend。
Thitherwewentupthesidesofthesteeppyramid，sinceImustlookuponthesehorrorsdaily。
Whenallwasprepared，andwestoodaroundthestoneofsacrificewhilethemultitudewatchedbelow，thatfiercepabawhooncehadfeltthebeatingsofmyheart，cameforthfromthesanctuaryofthegodQuetzalandsignedtohiscompanionstostretchthefirstofthevictimsonthestone。
ThenofasuddentheprinceGuatemocsteppedforward，andaddressingthepriests，pointedtotheirchief，andsaid:
’Seizethatman！’
Theyhesitated，forthoughhewhocommandedwasaprinceofthebloodroyal，tolayhandsuponahighpriestwassacrilege。
ThenwithasmileGuatemocdrewfortharinghavingadullbluestonesetinitsbezel，onwhichwasengravedastrangedevice。
Withtheringhedrewoutalsoascrollofpicture-writing，andheldthembothbeforetheeyesofthepabas。
NowtheringwastheringofMontezuma，andthescrollwassignedbythegreathighpriestofTenoctitlan，andthosewholookedontheringandthescrollknewwellthattodisobeythemandateofhimwhoborethemwasdeathanddishonourinone。
Sowithoutmoreadotheyseizedtheirchiefandheldhim。
ThenGuatemocspokeagainandshortly:
’LayhimonthestoneandsacrificehimtothegodQuetzal。’
Nowhewhohadtakensuchfiercejoyinthedeathofothersonthissamestone，begantotrembleandweep，forhedidnotdesiretodrinkofhisownmedicine。
’WhymustIbeofferedup，Oprince？’hecried，’IwhohavebeenafaithfulservanttothegodsandtotheEmperor。’
’BecauseyoudaredtotrytoofferupthisTeule，’answeredGuatemoc，pointingtome，’withoutleavefromyourmasterMontezuma，andbecauseoftheotherevilsthatyouhavedone，allofwhicharewritteninthisscroll。
TheTeuleisasonofQuetzal，asyouhaveyourselfdeclared，andQuetzalwillbeavengedbecauseofhisson。
Awaywithhim，hereisyourwarrant。’
Thenthepriests，whotillthismomenthadbeenhisservants，draggedtheirchieftothestone，andthere，notwithstandinghisprayersandbellowings，onewhohaddonnedhismantlepractisedhisownartuponhim，andpresentlyhisbodywascastdownthesideofthepyramid。
FormypartIamnotsufficientofaChristiantopretendthatIwassorrytoseehimdieinthatsamefashionbywhichhehadcausedthedeathofsomanybettermen。
WhenitwasdoneGuatemocturnedtomeandsaid，’Soperishallyourenemies，myfriendTeule。’
Withinanhourofthisevent，whichrevealedtomehowgreatwasthepowerofMontezuma，seeingthatthesightofaringfromhisfingercouldbringabouttheinstantdeathofahighpriestatthehandsofhisdisciples，westartedonourlongjourney。
ButbeforeIwentIbidawarmfarewelltomyfriendthecacique，andalsotoMarina，whoweptatmygoing。
ThecaciqueIneversawagain，butMarinaIdidsee。
Forawholemonthwetravelled，forthewaywasfarandtheroadrough，andsometimeswemustcutourpaththroughforestsandsometimeswemustwaituponthebanksofrivers。
ManywerethestrangesightsthatIsawuponthatjourney，andmanythecitiesinwhichwesojournedinmuchstateandhonour，butIcannotstoptotellofallthese。
OnethingIwillrelate，however，thoughbriefly，becauseitchangedtheregardthattheprinceGuatemocandIfeltonetotheotherintoafriendshipwhichlastedtillhisdeath，andindeedenduresinmyhearttothishour。
Onedayweweredelayedbythebanksofaswollenriver，andinpastimewentouttohuntfordeer。
Whenwehadhuntedawhileandkilledthreedeer，itchancedthatGuatemocperceivedabuckstandingonahillock，andwesetouttostalkit，fiveofusinall。
Butthebuckwasintheopen，andthetreesandbushceasedafullhundredyardsawayfromwherehestood，sothattherewasnowaybywhichwemightdrawneartohim。
ThenGuatemocbegantomockme，saying，’Now，Teule，theytelltalesofyourarchery，andthisdeeristhriceasfarasweAztecscanmakesureofkilling。
Letusseeyourskill。’
’Iwilltry，’Ianswered，’thoughtheshotislong。’
Sowedrewbeneaththecoverofaceibatree，ofwhichthelowestbranchesdroopedtowithinfifteenfeetoftheground，andhavingsetanarrowonthestringofthegreatbowthatIhadfashionedaftertheshapeofthoseweuseinmerryEngland，Iaimedanddrewit。
Straightspedthearrowandstruckthebuckfair，passingthroughitsheart，andalowmurmurofwondermentwentupfromthosewhosawthefeat。
Then，justaswepreparedtogotothefallendeer，amalepuma，whichisnothingbutacat，thoughfiftytimesasbig，thathadbeenwatchingthebuckfromabove，droppeddownfromtheboughsoftheceibatreefullontotheshouldersoftheprinceGuatemoc，fellinghimtotheground，wherehelayfacedownwardswhilethefiercebruteclawedandbitathisback。
IndeedhaditnotbeenforhisgoldencuirassandhelmGuatemocwouldneverhavelivedtobeemperorofAnahuac，andperhapsitmighthavebeenbetterso。
Nowwhentheysawthepumasnarlingandtearingatthepersonoftheirprince，thoughbravemenenough，thethreenobleswhowerewithuswereseizedbysuddenpanicandran，thinkinghimdead。
ButIdidnotrun，thoughIshouldhavebeengladenoughtodoso。
AtmysidehungoneoftheIndianweaponsthatservetheminsteadofswords，aclubofwoodsetonbothsideswithspikesofobsidian，liketheteethinthebillofaswordfish。
SnatchingitfromitsloopIgavethepumabattle，strikingablowuponhisheadthatrolledhimoverandcausedthebloodtopour。
Inamomenthewasupandatmeroaringwithrage。
WhirlingthewoodenswordwithbothhandsIsmotehiminmidair，theblowpassingbetweenhisopenpawsandcatchinghimfullonthesnoutandhead。
Sohardwasthisstrokethatmyweaponwasshattered，stillitdidnotstopthepuma。
InasecondIwascasttotheearthwithagreatshock，andthebrutewasonmetearingandbitingatmychestandneck。
ItwaswellformeatthatmomentthatIworeagarmentofquiltedcotton，otherwiseImusthavebeenrippedopen，andevenwiththiscoveringIwassadlytorn，andtothisdayIbearthemarksofthebeast’sclawsuponmybody。
ButnowwhenIseemedtobelostthegreatblowthatIhadstrucktookeffectonhim，foroneofthepointsofglasshadpiercedtohisbrain。
Heliftedhishead，hisclawscontractedthemselvesinmyflesh，thenhehowledlikeadoginpainandfelldeaduponmybody。
SoIlayuponthegroundunabletostir，forIwasmuchhurt，untilmycompanions，havingtakenheart，camebackandpulledthepumaoffme。
BythistimeGuatemoc，whosawall，buttillnowwasunabletomovefromlackofbreath，hadfoundhisfeetagain。
’Teule，’hegasped，’youareabravemanindeed，andifyouliveI
swearthatIwillalwaysstandyourfriendtothedeathasyouhavestoodmine。’
Thushespoketome；buttotheothershesaidnothing，castingnoreproachesatthem。
ThenIfaintedaway。
NowforaweekIwassoillfrommywoundsthatIwasunabletobemoved，andthenImustbecarriedinalittertillwecametowithinthreedays’journeyofthecityofTenoctitlanorMexico。
Afterthat，astheroadswerenowbettermadeandcaredforthananyIhaveseeninEngland，Iwasabletotaketomyfeetagain。
OfthisIwasglad，forIhavenoloveofbeingborneontheshouldersofothermenafterthewomanishIndianfashion，and，moreover，aswehadnowcometoacoldcountry，theroadrunningthroughvasttable-landsandacrossthetopsofmountains，itwasnolongernecessaryasithadbeeninthehotlands。
NeverdidI
seeanythingmoredrearythantheseimmenselengthsofdesolateplainscoveredwithaloesandotherthornyandsucculentshrubsoffantasticaspect，whichalonecouldliveonthesandyandwaterlesssoil。
Thisisastrangeland，thatcanboastthreeseparateclimateswithinitsborders，andisabletoshowallthegloriesofthetropicssidebysidewithdesertsofmeasurelessexpanse。
Onenightwecampedinaresthouse，ofwhichthereweremanybuiltalongtheroadsfortheuseoftravellers，thatwasplacedalmostonthetopofthesierraormountainrangewhichsurroundsthevalleyofTenoctitlan。
Nextmorningwetooktheroadagainbeforedawn，forthecoldwassosharpatthisgreatheightthatwe，whohadtravelledfromthehotland，couldsleepverylittle，andalsoGuatemocdesiredifitwerepossibletoreachthecitythatnight。
Whenwehadgoneafewhundredpacesthepathcametothecrestofthemountainrange，andIhaltedsuddenlyinwonderandadmiration。
Belowmelayavastbowloflandandwater，ofwhich，however，I
couldseenothing，fortheshadowsofthenightstillfilledit。
Butbeforeme，piercingtheveryclouds，toweredthecrestsoftwosnow-cladmountains，andonthesethelightoftheunrisensunplayed，alreadychangingtheirwhitenesstothestainofblood。
Popo，ortheHillthatSmokes，isthenameoftheone，andIxtac，ortheSleepingWoman，thatoftheother，andnograndersightwaseverofferedtotheeyesofmanthantheyfurnishedinthathourbeforethedawn。
FromtheloftysummitofPopowentupgreatcolumnsofsmokewhich，whatwiththefireintheirheartandthecrimsonofthesunrise，lookedlikerollingpillarsofflame。
Andforthegloryoftheglitteringslopesbelow，thatchangedcontinuallyfromthemysteryofwhitetodullred，fromredtocrimson，andfromcrimsontoeverydazzlinghuethattherainbowholds，whocantellit，whocanevenimagineit？
None，indeed，exceptthosethathaveseenthesunriseoverthevolcansofTenoctitlan。
WhenIhadfeastedmyeyesonPopoIturnedtoIxtac。
Sheisnotsoloftyasher’husband，’forsotheAztecsnamethevolcanPopo，andwhenfirstIlookedIcouldseenothingbutthegiganticshapeofawomanfashionedinsnow，andlyinglikeacorpseuponherloftybier，whosehairstreameddownthemountainside。
Butnowthesunbeamscaughtheralso，andsheseemedtostartoutinmajestyfromaveilofrosymist，awonderfulandthrillingsight。
Butbeautifulasshewasthen，stillIlovetheSleepingWomanbestateve。
Thensheliesashapeofgloryontheblacknessbeneath，andisslowlyswallowedupintothesolemnnightasthedarkdrawsitsveilacrossher。
NowasIgazedthelightbegantocreepdownthesidesofthevolcans，revealingtheforestsontheirflanks。
Butstillthevastvalleywasfilledwithmistthatlayindensebillowsresemblingthoseofthesea，throughwhichhillsandtempletopsstarteduplikeislands。
Byslowdegreesaswepasseduponourdownwardroadthevapoursclearedaway，andthelakesofTezcuco，Chalco，andXochicalcoshoneinthesunlightlikegiantmirrors。
Ontheirbanksstoodmanycities，indeedthegreatestofthese，Mexico，seemedtofloatuponthewaters；beyondthemandaboutthemweregreenfieldsofcornandaloe，andgrovesofforesttrees，whilefarawaytoweredtheblackwallofrockthathedgesinthevalley。
Alldaywejourneyedswiftlythroughthisfairyland。
WepassedthroughthecitiesofAmaquemandAjotzinco，whichIwillnotstaytodescribe，andmanyalovelyvillagethatnestleduponthebordersofLakeChalco。