’Inthepresenceandthenameofgodourlord，whoiseverywhereandseesallthings，Isignyouwiththisbloodandmakeyouofthisblood。
Inthepresenceandthenameofgodourlord，whoiseverywhereandseesallthings，Ipourforthyourbloodupontheearth！’herehepouredashespoke。
’Asthisbloodofyourssinksintotheearth，somaythememoryofyourpastlifesinkandbeforgotten，foryouarebornagainofthepeopleofAnahuac。
Inthepresenceandthenameofgodourlord，whoiseverywhereandseesallthings，Iminglethesebloods’herehepouredfromonebowlintotheother，’andwiththemItouchyourtongue’heredippinghisfingerintothebowlhetouchedthetipofmytonguewithit’andbidyouswearthus:
’“Mayeveryeviltowhichthefleshofmanissubjectenterintomyflesh，mayIliveinmiseryanddieintormentbythedreadfuldeath，maymysoulberejectedfromtheHousesoftheSun，mayitwanderhomelessforeverinthedarknessthatisbehindtheStars，ifIdepartfromthismyoath。
I，Teule，sweartobefaithfultothepeopleofAnahuacandtotheirlawfulgovernors。
Isweartowagewarupontheirfoesandtocompasstheirdestruction，andmoreespeciallyupontheTeulestilltheyaredrivenintothesea。
I
sweartooffernoaffronttothegodsofAnahuac。
IswearmyselfinmarriagetoOtomie，princessoftheOtomie，thedaughterofMontezumamylord，forsolongasherlifeshallendure。
Isweartoattemptnoescapefromtheseshores。
Isweartorenouncemyfatherandmymother，andthelandwhereIwasborn，andtoclingtothislandofmynewbirth；andthismyoathshallenduretillthevolcanPopoceasestovomitsmokeandfire，tillthereisnokinginTenoctitlan，tillnopriestservesthealtarsofthegods，andthepeopleofAnahuacarenomoreapeople。“
’Doyouswearthesethings，oneandall？’
’OneandallIswearthem，’IansweredbecauseImust，thoughtherewasmuchintheoaththatIlikedlittleenough。
Andyetmarkhowstrangelythingscametopass。
WithinfifteenyearsfromthatnightthevolcanPopohadceasedtovomitsmokeandfire，thekingshadceasedtoreigninTenoctitlan，thepriestshadceasedtoservethealtarsofthegods，thepeopleofAnahuacwerenomoreapeople，andmyvowwasnullandvoid。
Yetthepriestswhoframedthisformchosethesethingsasexamplesofwhatwasimmortal！
WhenIhadswornGuatemoccameforwardandembracedme，saying:
’Welcome，Teule，mybrotherinbloodandheart。
Nowyouareoneofus，andwelooktoyouforhelpandcounsel。
Come，beseatedbyme。’
IlookedtowardsCuitlahuadoubtfully，buthesmiledgraciously，andsaid:’Teule，yourtrialisover。
Wehaveacceptedyou，andyouhaveswornthesolemnoathofbrotherhood，tobreakwhichistodiehorriblyinthisworld，andtobetorturedthrougheternitybydemonsinthenext。
Forgetallthatmayhavebeensaidinthehourofyourweighing，forthebalanceisinyourfavour，andbesurethatifyougiveusnocausetodoubtyou，youshallfindnonetodoubtus。
NowasthehusbandofOtomie，youarealordamongthelords，havinghonourandgreatpossessions，andassuchbeseatedbyyourbrotherGuatemoc，andjoinourcouncil。’
Ididashebademe，andOtomiewithdrewfromourpresence。
ThenCuitlahuaspokeagain，nolongerofmeandmymatters，butoftheurgentaffairsofstate。
Hespokeinslowwordsandweighty，andmorethanoncehisvoicebrokeinhissorrow。
Hetoldofthegrievousmisfortunesthathadovercomethecountry，ofthedeathofhundredsofitsbravestwarriors，oftheslaughterofthepriestsandsoldiersthatdayontheteocalli，andthedesecrationofhisnation’sgods。
Whatwastobedoneinthisextremity？heasked。
Montezumalaydying，aprisonerinthecampoftheTeules，andthefirethathehadnursedwithhisbreathdevouredtheland。
Noeffortsoftheirscouldbreaktheironstrengthofthesewhitedevils，armedastheywerewithstrangeandterribleweapons。
DaybydaydisasterovertookthearmsoftheAztecs。
Whatwisdomhadtheynowthattheprotectinggodswereshatteredintheirveryshrines，whenthealtarsranredwiththebloodoftheirministeringpriests，whentheoraclesweredumboransweredonlyintheaccentsofdespair？
Thenonebyoneprincesandgeneralsaroseandgavecounselaccordingtotheirlights。
Atlengthallhadspoken，andCuitlahuasaid，lookingtowardsme:
’Wehaveanewcounselloramongus，whoisskilledinthewarfareandcustomsofthewhitemen，whotillanhouragowashimselfawhiteman。
Hashenowordofcomfortforus？’
’Speak，mybrother？’saidGuatemoc。
ThenIspoke。
’MostnobleCuitlahua，andyoulordsandprinces。
Youhonourmebyaskingmycounsel，anditisthisinfewwordsandbrief。
YouwasteyourstrengthbyhurlingyourarmiescontinuallyagainststonewallsandtheweaponsoftheTeules。
Soyoushallnotprevailagainstthem。
Yourdevicesmustbechangedifyouwouldwinvictory。
TheSpaniardsarelikeothermen；theyarenogodsastheignorantimagine，andthecreaturesonwhichtheyridearenotdemonsbutbeastsofburden，suchasareusedformanypurposesinthelandwhereIwasborn。
TheSpaniardsaremenI
say，anddonotmenhungerandthirst？
Cannotmenbewornoutbywantofsleep，andbekilledinmanyways？
ArenottheseTeulesalreadywearytothedeath？
Thisthenismywordofcomforttoyou。
CeasetoattacktheSpaniardsandinvesttheircampsocloselythatnofoodcanreachthemandtheiralliestheTlascalans。
Ifthisisdone，withintendaysfromnow，eithertheywillsurrenderortheywillstrivetobreaktheirwaybacktothecoast。
Buttodothis，firsttheymustwinoutofthecity，andifdykesarecutthroughthecauseways，thatwillbenoeasymatter。
Thenwhentheystrivetoescapecumberedwiththegoldtheycovetandcameheretoseek，thenIsaywillbethehourtoattackthemandtodestroythemutterly。’
Iceased，andamurmurofapplausewentroundthecouncil。
’Itseemsthatwecametoawisejudgmentwhenwedeterminedtosparethisman’slife，’saidCuitlahua，’forallthathetellsusistrue，andIwouldthatwehadfollowedthispolicyfromthefirst。
Now，lords，Igivemyvoiceforactingasourbrotherpointstheway。
Whatsayyou？’
’Wesaywithyouthatourbrother’swordsaregood，’answeredGuatemocpresently，’andnowletusfollowthemtotheend。’
Then，aftersomefurthertalk，thecouncilbrokeupandIsoughtmychamberwellnighblindwithwearinessandcrushedbytheweightofallthatIhadsufferedonthateventfulday。
Thedawnwasflaringintheeasternsky，andbyitsglimmerIfoundmypathdowntheemptycorridors，tillatlengthIcametothecurtainsofmysleepingplace。
Idrewthemandpassedthrough。
There，faruptheroom，thefaintlightgleamingonhersnowydress，herravenhairandornamentsofgold，stoodOtomiemybride。
Iwenttowardsher，andasIcamesheglidedtomeetmewithoutstretchedarms。
Presentlytheywereaboutmyneckandherkisswasonmybrow。
’Nowallisdone，myloveandlord，’shewhispered，’andcomegoodorill，orboth，weareonetilldeath，forsuchvowsasourscannotbebroken。’
’Allisdoneindeed，Otomie，andouroathsarelifelong，thoughotheroathshavebeenbrokenthattheymightbesworn，’Ianswered。
ThusthenI，ThomasWingfield，waswedtoOtomie，princessoftheOtomie，Montezuma’sdaughter。
LongbeforeIawokethatdaythecommandsofthecouncilhadbeencarriedout，andthebridgesinthegreatcausewayswerebrokendownwhereverdykescrossedtheraisedroadsthatranthroughthewatersofthelake。
ThatafternoonalsoIwentdressedasanIndianwarriorwithGuatemocandtheothergenerals，toaparleywhichwasheldwithCortes，whotookhisstandonthesametowerofthepalacethatMontezumahadstoodonwhenthearrowofGuatemocstruckhimdown。
Thereislittletobesaidofthisparley，andI
rememberitchieflybecauseitwasthenforthefirsttimesinceI
hadlefttheTobascansthatIsawMarinaclose，andheardhersweetandgentlevoice。
FornowasevershewasbythesideofCortes，translatinghisproposalsofpeacetotheAztecs。
AmongthoseproposalswasonewhichshowedmethatdeGarciahadnotbeenidle。
ItaskedthatthefalsewhitemanwhohadbeenrescuedfromthealtarsofthegodsupontheteocallishouldbegiveninexchangeforcertainAztecprisoners，inorderthathemightbehungaccordingtohismeritsasaspyanddeserter，atraitortotheemperorofSpain。
IwonderedasIheard，ifMarinaknewwhenshespokethewords，that’thefalsewhiteman’wasnoneotherthanthefriendofherTobascandays。
’YouseethatyouarefortunateinhavingfoundplaceamongusAztecs，Teule，’saidGuatemocwithalaugh，’foryourownpeoplewouldgreetyouwitharope。’
ThenheansweredCortes，sayingnothingofme，butbiddinghimandalltheSpaniardspreparefordeath:
’Manyofushaveperished，’hesaid；’youalsomustperish，Teules。
Youshallperishofhungerandthirst，youshallperishonthealtarsofthegods。
ThereisnoescapeforyouTeules；thebridgesarebroken。’
Andallthemultitudetookupthewordsandthunderedout，’ThereisnoescapeforyouTeules；thebridgesarebroken！’
Thentheshootingofarrowsbegan，andIsoughtthepalacetotellOtomiemywifewhatIhadgatheredofthestateofherfatherMontezuma，whotheSpaniardssaidstilllaydying，andofhertwosisterswhowerehostagesintheirquarters。
AlsoItoldherhowmysurrenderhadbeensought，andshekissedme，andsaidsmiling，thatthoughmylifewasnowburdenedwithher，stillitwasbettersothanthatIshouldfallintothehandsoftheSpaniards。
TwodayslatercamethenewsthatMontezumawasdead，andshortlyafterithisbody，whichtheSpaniardshandedovertotheAztecsforburial，attiredinthegorgeousrobesofroyalty。
Theylaiditinthehallofthepalace，whenceitwashurriedsecretlyandatnighttoChapoltepec，andtherehiddenawaywithsmallceremony，foritwasfearedthatthepeoplemightrenditlimbfromlimbintheirrage。
WithOtomieweepingatmyside，Ilookedforthelasttimeonthefaceofthatmostunhappyking，whosereignsogloriousinitsbeginninghadendedthus。
AndwhileIlookedIwonderedwhatsufferingcouldhaveequalledhis，asfallenfromhisestateandhatedbythesubjectswhomhehadbetrayed，helaydying，aprisonerinthepoweroftheforeignwolveswhoweretearingouthiscountry’sheart。
ItislittlewonderindeedthatMontezumarentthebandagesfromhiswoundsandwouldnotsufferthemtotendhishurts。
Fortherealhurtwasinhissoul；theretheironhadentereddeeply，andnoleechcouldcureitexceptonecalledDeath。
Andyetthefaultwasnotallhis，thedevilswhomheworshippedasgodswererevengeduponhim，fortheyhadfilledhimwiththesuperstitionsoftheirwickedfaith，andbecauseofthesethegodsandtheirhighpriestmustsinkintoacommonruin。
Wereitnotfortheseunsubstantialterrorsthathauntedhim，theSpaniardshadneverwonafootholdinTenoctitlan，andtheAztecswouldhaveremainedfreeformanyayeartocome。
ButProvidencewilleditotherwise，andthisdeadanddisgracedmonarchwasbutitsinstrument。
SuchwerethethoughtsthatpassedthroughmymindasIgazeduponthebodyofthegreatMontezuma。