Theyledmetotheedgeofthepyramid，orasnearasIwouldgo，forIshrankbacklesttheyshouldseizemesuddenlyandcastmeovertheedge。
Andtherethehighpriestcalledoutmydignitytothethousandswhowereassembledbeneath，andeveryoneofthembentthekneeinadorationofme，thepriestsaboveandthemultitudesbelow。
AndsoitwentontillIgrewdizzywiththeworship，andtheshouting，andthesoundsofmusic，andthesightsofdeath，andverythankfulwasI，whenatlasttheycarriedmebacktoChapoltepec。
Herenewhonoursawaitedme，forIwasconductedtoasplendidrangeofapartments，nexttothoseoftheemperorhimself，andI
wastoldthatallMontezuma’shouseholdwereatmycommandandthathewhorefusedtodomybiddingshoulddie。
SoatlastIspokeandsaiditwasmybiddingthatIshouldbesufferedtorestawhile，tillafeastwaspreparedformeintheapartmentsofGuatemoctheprince，forthereIhopedtomeetOtomie。
MytutorsandthenobleswhoattendedmeansweredthatMontezumamyservanthadtrustedthatIwouldfeastwithhimthatnight。
Stillmycommandshouldbedone。
Thentheyleftme，sayingthattheywouldcomeagaininanhourtoleadmetothebanquet。
NowIthrewofftheemblemsofmygodheadandcastmyselfdownoncushionstorestandthink，andacertainexultationtookpossessionofme，forwasInotagod，andhadInotpoweralmostabsolute？
StillbeingofacautiousmindIwonderedwhyIwasagod，andhowlongmypowerwouldlast。
Beforethehourhadgoneby，pagesandnoblesentered，bearingnewrobeswhichwereputuponmybodyandfreshflowerstocrownmyhead，andIwasledawaytotheapartmentsofGuatemoc，fairwomengoingbeforemewhoplayeduponinstrumentsofmusic。
HereGuatemoctheprincewaitedtoreceiveme，whichhedidasthoughI，hiscaptiveandcompanion，wasthefirstofkings。
AndyetIthoughtthatIsawmerrimentinhiseye，mingledwithsorrow。
BendingforwardIspoketohiminawhisper:
’Whatdoesallthismean，prince？’Isaid。
’AmIbefooled，oramI
indeedagod？’
’Hush！’heanswered，bowinglowandspeakingbeneathhisbreath。
’Itmeansbothgoodandillforyou，myfriendTeule。
AnothertimeIwilltellyou。’
Thenheaddedaloud，’Doesitpleaseyou，O
Tezcat，godofgods，thatweshouldsitatmeatwithyou，orwillyoueatalone？’
’Thegodslikegoodcompany，prince，’Isaid。
NowduringthistalkIhaddiscoveredthatamongthosegatheredinthehallwastheprincessOtomie。
Sowhenwepassedtothelowtablearoundwhichweweretositoncushions，Ihungbackwatchingwhereshewouldplaceherself，andthenatonceseatedmyselfbesideher。
Thiscausedsomelittleconfusionamongthecompany，fortheplaceofhonourhadbeenpreparedformeattheheadofthetable，theseatofGuatemocbeingtomyrightandthatofhiswife，theroyalTecuichpo，tomyleft。
’Yourseatisyonder，OTezcat，’shesaid，blushingbeneathheroliveskinasshespoke。
’Surelyagodmaysitwherehechooses，royalOtomie，’Ianswered；
’besides，’Iaddedinalowvoice，’whatbetterplacecanhefindthanbythesideofthemostlovelygoddessontheearth。’
Againsheblushedandanswered，’Alas！Inogoddess，butonlyamortalmaid。
Listen，ifyoudesirethatIshouldbeyourcompanionatourfeasts，youmustissueitasacommand；nonewilldaretodisobeyyou，notevenMontezumamyfather。’
SoIroseandsaidinveryhaltingAztectothenobleswhowaitedonme，’ItismywillthatmyplaceshallalwaysbesetbythesideoftheprincessOtomie。’
AtthesewordsOtomieblushedevenmore，andamurmurwentroundamongtheguests，whileGuatemocfirstlookedangryandthenlaughed。
Butthenobles，myattendants，bowed，andtheirspokesmananswered:
’ThewordsofTezcatshallbeobeyed。
LettheseatofOtomie，theroyalprincess，thefavouredofTezcat，beplacedbythesideofthegod。’
Afterwardsthiswasalwaysdone，exceptwhenIatewithMontezumahimself。
MoreovertheprincessOtomiebecameknownthroughoutthecityas’theblessedprincess，thefavouredofTezcat。’
Forsostrongaholdhadcustomandsuperstitionuponthispeoplethattheythoughtitthegreatestofhonourstoher，whowasamongthefirstladiesintheland，thathewhoforalittlespacewassupposedtoholdthespiritofthesouloftheworld，shoulddeigntodesirehercompanionshipwhenheate。
Nowthefeastwenton，andpresentlyImadeshifttoaskOtomiewhatallthismightmean。
’Alas！’shewhispered，’youdonotknow，nordareItellyounow。
ButIwillsaythis:thoughyouwhoareagodmaysitwhereyouwillto-day，anhourshallcomewhenyoumustliewhereyouwouldnot。
Listen:whenwehavefinishedeating，saythatitisyourwishtowalkinthegardensofthepalaceandthatIshouldaccompanyyou。
ThenImayfindachancetospeak。’
Accordingly，whenthefeastwasoverIsaidthatIdesiredtowalkinthegardenswiththeprincessOtomie，andwewentoutandwanderedunderthesolemntrees，thataredrapedinawinding-sheetofgreymosswhich，hangingfromeveryboughasthoughtheforesthadbeendeckedwiththewhitebeardsofanarmyofagedmen，wavedandrustledsadlyinthekeennightair。
Butalas！wemightnotbealone，forafterusatadistanceoftwentypacesfollowedallmycrowdofattendantnobles，togetherwithfairdancinggirlsandminstrelsarmedwiththeiraccursedflutes，onwhichtheyblewinseasonandoutofit，dancingastheyblew。
InvaindidIcommandthemtobesilent，tellingthemthatitwaswrittenofoldthatthereisatimetoplayanddanceandatimetoceasefromdancing，forinthisalonetheywouldnotobeyme。
NevercouldIbeatpeacebecauseofthemthenorthereafter，andnottillnowdidI
learnhowgreatatreasureissolitude。
Stillwewereallowedtowalktogetherunderthetrees，andthoughtheclamourofmusicpursueduswhereverwewent，weweresoondeepintalk。
ThenitwasthatIlearnedhowdreadfulwasthefatewhichovershadowedme。
’Know，OTeule，’saidOtomie，forshewouldcallmebytheoldnamewhentherewerenonetohear；’thisisthecustomofourland，thateveryyearayoungcaptiveshouldbechosentobetheearthlyimageofthegodTezcat，whocreatedtheworld。
Onlytwothingsarenecessarytothiscaptive，namely，thathisbloodshouldbenoble，andthathispersonshouldbebeautifulandwithoutflaworblemish。
Thedaythatyoucamehither，Teule，chancedtobethedayofchoosinganewcaptivetopersonatethegod，andyouhavebeenchosenbecauseyouarebothnobleandmorebeautifulthananymaninAnahuac，andalsobecausebeingofthepeopleoftheTeules，thechildrenofQuetzalofwhomsomanyrumourshavereachedus，andwhosecomingmyfatherMontezumadreadsmorethananythingintheworld，itwasthoughtbytheprieststhatyoumayaverttheirangerfromus，andtheangerofthegods。’
NowOtomiepausedasonewhohassomethingtosaythatshecanscarcelyfindwordstofit，butI，rememberingonlywhathadbeensaid，swelledinwardlywiththesenseofmyowngreatness，andbecausethislovelyprincesshaddeclaredthatIwasthemostbeautifulmaninAnahuac，IwhothoughIwaswell-lookingenough，hadneverbeforebeencalled’beautiful’byman，woman，orchild。
Butinthiscaseasinmanyanother，pridewentbeforeafall。
’Itmustbespoken，Teule，’Otomiecontinued。
’Alas！thatitshouldbeIwhoamfatedtotellyou。
ForayearyouwillruleasagodinthiscityofTenoctitlan，andexceptforcertainceremoniesthatyoumustundergo，andcertainartswhichyoumustlearn，nonewilltroubleyou。
Yourslightestwishwillbealaw，andwhenyousmileonany，itshallbeanomenofgoodtothemandtheywillblessyou；evenmyfatherMontezumawilltreatyouwithreverenceasanequalormore。
Everydelightshallbeyoursexceptthatofmarriage，andthiswillbewithheldtillthetwelfthmonthoftheyear。
Thenthefourmostbeautifulmaidensinthelandwillbegiventoyouasbrides。’
’Andwhowillchoosethem？’Iasked。
’Nay，Iknownot，Teule，whodonotmeddleinsuchmysteries，’sheansweredhurriedly。
’Sometimesthegodisjudgeandsometimesthepriestsjudgeforhim。
Itisasitmaychance。
Listennowtotheendofmytaleandyouwillsurelyforgettherest。
Foronemonthyouwilllivewithyourwives，andthismonthyouwillpassinfeastingatallthenoblesthousesinthecity。
Onthelastdayofthemonth，however，youwillbeplacedinaroyalbargeandtogetherwithyourwives，paddledacrossthelaketoaplacethatisnamed“MeltingofMetals。“
Thenceyouwillbeledtotheteocallinamed“HouseofWeapons，“whereyourwiveswillbidfarewelltoyouforever，andthere，Teule，alas！thatImustsayit，youaredoomedtobeofferedasasacrificetothegodwhosespirityouhold，thegreatgodTezcat，foryourheartwillbetornfromyourbody，andyourheadwillbestruckfromyourshouldersandsetuponthestakethatisknownas“postofheads。“’
NowwhenIheardthisdreadfuldoomIgroanedaloudandmykneestrembledsothatIalmostfelltotheground。
Thenagreatfuryseizedmeand，forgettingmyfather’scounsel，Iblasphemedthegodsofthatcountryandthepeoplewhoworshippedthem，firstintheAztecandMayalanguages，thenwhenmyknowledgeofthesetonguesfailedme，inSpanishandgoodEnglish。
ButOtomie，whoheardsomeofmywordsandguessedmore，wasseizedwithfearandliftedherhands，saying:
’Cursenottheawfulgods，Ibeseechyou，lestsometerriblethingbefallyouatonce。
Ifyouareoverhearditwillbethoughtthatyouhaveanevilspiritandnotagoodone，andthenyoumustdienowandbytorment。
Attheleastthegods，whoareeverywhere，willhearyou。’
’Letthemhear，’Ianswered。
’Theyarefalsegodsandthatcountryisaccursedwhichworshipsthem。
TheyaredoomedIsay，andalltheirworshippersaredoomed。
Nay，IcarenotifIamheard——aswelldienowbytormentasliveayearinthetormentofapproachingdeath。
ButIshallnotdiealone，alltheseaofbloodthatyourpriestshaveshedcriesoutforvengeancetothetrueGod，andHewillavenge。’
ThusIravedon，beingmadwithfearandimpotentanger，whiletheprincessOtomiestoodterrifiedandamazedatmyblasphemies，andtheflutespipedandthedancersdancedbehindus。
AndasIravedIsawthatthemindofOtomiewanderedfrommywords，forshewasstaringtowardstheeastlikeonewhoseesavision。
ThenIlookedalsotowardstheeastandsawthattheskywasalightthere。
Forfromtheedgeofthehorizontothehighestpartsofheavenspreadafanofpaleandfearfullightpowderedoverwithsparksoffire，thehandleofthefanrestingontheearthasitwere，whileitswingscoveredtheeasternsky。
NowIceasedmycursingandstoodtransfixed，andasIstood，acryofterrorarosefromalltheprecinctsofthepalaceandpeoplepouredfromeverydoortogazeupontheportentthatflaredandblazedintheeast。
PresentlyMontezumahimselfcameout，attendedbyhisgreatlords，andinthatghastlylightIsawthathislipsworkedandhishandswrithedovereachother。
Norwasthemiracledonewith，foranonfromtheclearskythathungoverthecity，descendedaballoffire，whichseemedtorestuponthepointsoftheloftytempleinthegreatsquare，lightinguptheteocalliaswiththeglareofday。