Attheleastshedidnotgobackthereforawhile，forthoughIneversawheragain，itissaidthatshelivedtobecomeaChristianandtoldstrangetalesofwhatshehadseeninthelandofDeath。*
*ForthehistoryoftheresurrectionofPapantzin，seenotetoJourdanet’stranslationofSahagun，page870——AUTHOR。
NowsomemonthspassedbetweenthedateofmynamingasthegodTezcatandtheentryoftheSpaniardsintoMexico，andduringallthisspacethecitywasinastateofferment。
AgainandagainMontezumasentembassiestoCortes，bearingwiththemvasttreasuresofgoldandgemsaspresents，andatthesametimeprayinghimtowithdraw，forthisfoolishprincedidnotunderstandthatbydisplayingsomuchwealthheflewalurewhichmustsurelybringthefalcononhimself。
TotheseambassadorsCortesreturnedcourteousanswerstogetherwithpresentsofsmallvalue，andthatwasall。
ThentheadvancebeganandtheemperorlearnedwithdismayoftheconquestofthewarliketribeoftheTlascalans，who，thoughtheywereMontezuma’sbitterandhereditaryfoes，yetmadeastandagainstthewhiteman。
NextcamethetidingsthatfromenemiestheconqueredTlascalanshadbecomethealliesandservantsoftheSpaniard，andthatthousandsoftheirfiercestwarriorswereadvancingwithhimuponthesacredcityofCholula。
AwhilepassedanditwasknownthatCholulaalsohadbeengiventomassacre，andthattheholy，orrathertheunholygods，hadbeentornfromtheirshrines。
MarvelloustalesweretoldoftheSpaniards，oftheircourageandtheirmight，ofthearmourthattheywore，thethunderthattheirweaponsmadeinbattle，andthefiercebeastswhichtheybestrode。
OncetwoheadsofwhitementakeninaskirmishweresenttoMontezuma，fierce-lookingheads，greatandhairy，andwiththemtheheadofahorse。
WhenMontezumasawtheseghastlyrelicshealmostfaintedwithfear，stillhecausedthemtobesetuponpinnaclesofthegreattempleandproclamationtobemadethatthisfateawaitedeveryinvaderoftheland。
Meanwhileallwasconfusioninhispolicies。
Daybydaycouncilswereheldofthenobles，ofhighpriests，andofneighbouringandfriendlykings。
Someadvisedonething，someanother，andtheendofitwashesitationandfolly。
Ah！hadMontezumabutlistenedtothevoiceofthatgreatmanGuatemoc，AnahuacwouldnothavebeenaSpanishfiefto-day。
ForGuatemocprayedhimagainandyetagaintoputawayhisfearsanddeclareopenwarupontheTeulesbeforeitwastoolate；toceasefrommakinggiftsandsendingembassies，togatherhiscountlessarmiesandsmitethefoeinthemountainpasses。
ButMontezumawouldanswer，’Towhatend，nephew？
HowcanI
struggleagainstthesemenwhenthegodsthemselveshavedeclaredforthem？
Surelythegodscantaketheirownpartsiftheywishit，andiftheywillnot，formyselfandmyownfateIdonotcare，butalas！formypeople，alas！forthewomenandthechildren，theagedandtheweak。’
Thenhewouldcoverhisfaceandmoanandweeplikeachild，andGuatemocwouldpassfromhispresencedumbwithfuryatthefollyofsogreataking，buthelplesstoremedyit。
Forlikemyself，GuatemocbelievedthatMontezumahadbeensmittenwithamadnesssentfromheaventobringthelandtoruin。
Nowitmustbeunderstoodthatthoughmyplaceasagodgavemeopportunitiesofknowingallthatpassed，yetIThomasWingfield，wasbutabubbleonthatgreatwaveofeventswhichsweptovertheworldofAnahuactwogenerationssince。
Iwasabubbleonthecrestofthewaveindeed，butatthattimeIhadnomorepowerthanthefoamhasoverthewave。
Montezumadistrustedmeasaspy，thepriestslookedonmeasagodandfuturevictimandnomore，onlyGuatemocmyfriend，andOtomiewholovedmesecretly，hadanyfaithinme，andwiththesetwoIoftentalked，showingthemthetruemeaningofthosethingsthatwerehappeningbeforeoureyes。
Buttheyalsowerestrengthless，forthoughhisreasonwasnolongercaptain，stilltheuncheckedpowerofMontezumaguidedtheshipofstatefirstthiswayandthenthat，justasarudderdirectsavesseltoitsruinwhenthehelmsmanhasleftit，anditswingsatthemercyofthewindandtide。
Thepeopleweredistraughtwithfearofthefuture，butnotthelessonthataccount，orperhapsbecauseofit，theyplungedwithfervourintopleasures，alternatingthemwithreligiousceremonies。
Inthosedaysnofeastwasneglectedandnoaltarlackeditsvictim。
Likeariverthatquickensitsflowasitdrawsneartheprecipiceoverwhichitmustfall，sothepeopleofMexico，foreseeingruin，awokeasitwereandlivedastheyhadneverlivedbefore。
Alldaylongthecriesofvictimscamefromahundredtempletops，andallnightthesoundsofrevelrywereheardamongthestreets。
’Letuseatanddrink，’theysaid，’forthegodsoftheseaareuponusandto-morrowwedie。’
Nowwomenwhohadbeenheldvirtuousprovedthemselveswantons，andmenwhosenameswerehonestshowedthemselvesknaves，andnonecriedfieuponthem；ay，evenchildrenwereseendrunkeninthestreets，whichisanabominationamongtheAztecs。
TheemperorhadmovedhishouseholdfromChapoltepectothepalaceinthegreatsquarefacingthetemple，andthispalacewasatowninitself，foreverynightmorethanathousandhumanbeingssleptbeneathitsroof，nottospeakofthedwarfsandmonsters，andthehundredsofwildbirdsandbeastsincages。
HereeverydayI
feastedwithwhomIwould，andwhenIwaswearyoffeastingitwasmycustomtosallyoutintothestreetsplayingonthelute，forbynowIhadinsomedegreemasteredthathatefulinstrument，dressedinshiningapparelandattendedbyacrowdofnoblesandroyalpages。
Thenthepeoplewouldrushfromtheirhousesshoutinganddoingmereverence，thechildrenpeltedmewithflowers，andthemaidensdancedbeforeme，kissingmyhandsandfeet，tillatlengthIwasattendedbyamobathousandstrong。
AndIalsodancedandshoutedlikeanyvillagefool，forIthinkthatakindofmadhumour，orperhapsitwasthedrunkennessofworship，enteredintomeinthosedays。
AlsoIsoughttoforgetmygriefs，IdesiredtoforgetthatIwasdoomedtothesacrifice，andthateverydaybroughtmenearertotheredknifeofthepriest。
Idesiredtoforget，butalas！Icouldnot。
ThefumesofthemescalandthepulquethatIhaddrunkatfeastswouldpassfrommybrain，theperfumeofflowers，thesightsofbeautyandtheadorationofthepeoplewouldceasetomoveme，andIcouldonlybroodheavilyuponmydoomandthinkwithlongingofmydistantloveandhome。
Inthosedays，haditnotbeenforthetenderkindnessofOtomie，IthinkthatmyheartwouldhavebrokenorI
shouldhaveslainmyself。
Butthisgreatandbeauteousladywaseverathandtocheermeinathousandways，andnowandagainshewouldletfallsomevaguewordsofhopethatsetmypulsesbounding。
ItwillberememberedthatwhenfirstIcametothecourtofMontezuma，IhadfoundOtomiefairandmyfancyturnedtowardsher。
NowIstillfoundherfair，butmyheartwassofullofterrorthattherewasnoroominitfortenderthoughtsofherorofanyotherwoman。
IndeedwhenIwasnotdrunkwithwineoradoration，Iturnedmymindtothemakingofmypeacewithheaven，ofwhichIhadsomeneed。
StillItalkedmuchwithOtomie，instructingherinthemattersofmyfaithandmanyotherthings，asIhaddonebyMarina，whowenowheardwasthemistressandinterpreterofCortes，theSpanishleader。
Sheforherpartlistenedgravely，watchingmethewhilewithhertendereyes，butnomore，forofallwomenOtomiewasthemostmodest，asshewastheproudestandmostbeautiful。
SomatterswentonuntiltheSpaniardshadleftCholulaontheirroadtoMexico。
ItwasthenthatIchancedonemorningtobesittinginthegardens，myluteinhand，andhavingmyattendantnoblesandtutorsgatheredatarespectfuldistancebehindme。
FromwhereIsatIcouldseetheentrancetothecourtinwhichtheemperormethiscouncildaily，andInotedthatwhentheprinceshadgonethepriestsbegantocome，andafterthemanumberofverylovelygirlsattendedbywomenofmiddleage。
PresentlyGuatemoctheprince，whonowsmiledbutrarely，cameuptomesmiling，andaskedmeifIknewwhatwasdoingyonder。
IrepliedthatIknewnothingandcaredless，butIsupposedthatMontezumawasgatheringapeculiartreasuretosendtohismasterstheSpaniards。
’Bewarehowyouspeak，Teule，’answeredtheprincehaughtily。
’Yourwordsmaybetrue，andyetdidInotloveyou，youshouldruethemeventhoughyouholdthespiritofTezcat。
Alas！’headded，stampingontheground，’alas！thatmyuncle’smadnessshouldmakeitpossiblethatsuchwordscanbespoken。
Oh！wereIemperorofAnahuac，inasingleweektheheadofeveryTeuleinCholulashoulddeckapinnacleofyondertemple。’
’Bewarehowyouspeak，prince，’Iansweredmockinghim，’fortherearethosewhodidtheyhear，mightcauseYOUtorueYOURwords。
Stillonedayyoumaybeemperor，andthenweshallseehowyouwilldealwiththeTeules，atleastotherswillseethoughIshallnot。
Butwhatisitnow？
DoesMontezumachoosenewwives？’
’Hechooseswives，butnotforhimself。
Youknow，Teule，thatyourtimegrowsshort。
Montezumaandthepriestsnamethosewhomustbegiventoyoutowife。’
’Givenmetowife！’Isaidstartingtomyfeet；’tomewhosebrideisdeath！
WhathaveItodowithloveormarriage？
Iwhoinsomefewshortweeksmustgraceanaltar？
Ah！Guatemoc，yousayyouloveme，andonceIsavedyou。
Didyouloveme，surelyyouwouldsavemenowasyousworetodo。’
’IsworethatIwouldgivemylifeforyours，Teule，ifitlayinmypower，andthatoathIwouldkeep，foralldonotsetsohighastoreonlifeasyou，myfriend。
ButIcannothelpyou；youarededicatedtothegods，anddidIdieahundredtimes，itwouldnotsaveyoufromyourfate。
Nothingcansaveyouexceptthehandofheavenifitwills。
Therefore，Teule，makemerrywhileyoumay，anddiebravelywhenyoumust。
Yourcaseisnoworsethanmineandthatofmanyothers，fordeathawaitsusall。
Farewell。’
WhenhehadgoneIrose，andleavingthegardensIpassedintothechamberwhereitwasmycustomtogiveaudiencetothosewhowishedtolookuponthegodTezcatastheycalledme。
HereIsatuponmygoldencouch，inhalingthefumesoftobacco，andasitchancedI
wasalone，fornonedaredtoenterthatroomunlessIgavethemleave。
Presentlythechiefofmypagesannouncedthatonewouldspeakwithme，andIbentmyhead，signifyingthatthepersonshouldenter，forIwaswearyofmythoughts。
Thepagewithdrew，andpresentlyaveiledwomanstoodbeforeme。
Ilookedatherwondering，andbadeherdrawherveilandspeak。
Sheobeyed，andI
sawthatmyvisitorwastheprincessOtomie。
NowIroseamazed，foritwasnotusualthatsheshouldvisitmethusalone。
I
guessedthereforethatshehadtidings，orwasfollowingsomecustomofwhichIwasignorant。
’Iprayyoubeseated，’shesaidconfusedly；’itisnotfittingthatyoushouldstandbeforeme。’
’Whynot，princess？’Ianswered。
’IfIhadnorespectforrank，surelybeautymustclaimit。’
’Atrucetowords，’sherepliedwithawaveofherslimhand。