NowshortlyafterChristmas，havingmarchedfromthecoastwithagreatarrayofSpaniards，formanyhadjoinedhisbannerfromoversea，andtensofthousandsofnativeallies，CortestookuphisheadquartersatTezcucointhevalleyofMexico。
Thistownissituatednearthebordersofthelake，atadistanceofseveralleaguesfromTenoctitlan，andbeingontheedgeoftheterritoryoftheTlascalanshisallies，itwasmostsuitabletoCortesasabaseofaction。
Andthenbeganoneofthemostterriblewarsthattheworldhasseen。
Foreightmonthsitraged，andwhenitceasedatlength，Tenoctitlan，andwithitmanyotherbeautifulandpopuloustowns，wereblackenedruins，themostoftheAztecsweredeadbyswordandfamine，andtheirnationwascrushedforever。
OfallthedetailsofthiswarIdonotpurposetowrite，forwereItodoso，therewouldbenoendtothisbook，andIhavemyowntaletotell。
These，therefore，Ileavetothemakerofhistories。
LetitbeenoughtosaythattheplanofCorteswastodestroyallhervassalandalliedcitiesandpeoplesbeforehegrappledwithMexico，queenofthevalley，andthishesethimselftodowithaskill，avalour，andastraightnessofpurpose，suchashavescarcelybeenshownbyageneralsincethedaysofCaesar。
Iztapalapanwasthefirsttofall，andheretenthousandmen，women，andchildrenwereputtotheswordorburnedalive。
Thencametheturnoftheothers；onebyoneCortesreducedthecitiestillthewholegirdleofthemwasinhishand，andTenoctitlanaloneremaineduntouched。
Manyindeedsurrendered，forthenationsofAnahuacbeingofvariousbloodwerebutasabundleofreedsandnotasatree。
ThuswhenthepowerofSpaincutthebandofempirethatboundthemtogether，theyfellthiswayandthat，havingnounity。
SoitcameaboutthatasthepowerofGuatemocweakenedthatofCortesincreased，forhegarneredtheseloosenedreedsintohisbasket。
And，indeed，nowthatthepeoplesawthatMexicohadmethermatch，manyanancienthateandsmoulderingrivalrybrokeintoflame，andtheyfelluponherandtoreher，likehalf-tamedwolvesupontheirmasterwhenhisscourgeisbroken。
ItwasthisthatbroughtaboutthefallofAnahuac。
Hadsheremainedtruetoherself，hadsheforgottenherfeudsandjealousiesandstoodagainsttheSpaniardsasoneman，thenTenoctitlanwouldneverhavefallen，andCorteswitheveryTeuleinhiscompanyhadbeenstretcheduponthestoneofsacrifice。
DidInotsaywhenItookupmypentowritethisbookthateverywrongrevengesitselfatlastuponthemanorthepeoplethatwroughtit？
Soitwasnow。
Mexicowasdestroyedbecauseoftheabominationoftheworshipofhergods。
Thesefeudsbetweenthealliedpeopleshadtheirrootinthehorribleritesofhumansacrifice。
Atsometimeinthepast，fromallthesecitiescaptiveshavebeendraggedtothealtarsofthegodsofMexico，theretobeslaughteredanddevouredbythecannibalworshippers。
Nowtheseoutrageswereremembered，nowwhenthearmofthequeenofthevalleywaswithered，thechildrenofthosewhomshehadslainroseuptoslayherandtodragHERchildrentotheiraltars。
BythemonthofMay，striveaswewould，andneverwasamoregallantfightmade，allourallieswerecrushedorhaddesertedus，andthesiegeofthecitybegan。
Itbeganbylandandbywater，forwithincredibleresourceCortescausedthirteenbrigantinesofwartobeconstructedinTlascala，andconveyedinpiecesfortwentyleaguesacrossthemountainstohiscamp，whencetheywerefloatedintothelakethroughacanal，whichwashollowedoutbythelabouroftenthousandIndians，whoworkedatitwithoutceasefortwomonths。
ThebearersofthesebrigantineswereescortedbyanarmyoftwentythousandTlascalans，andifIcouldhavehadmywaythatarmyshouldhavebeenattackedinthemountainpasses。
SothoughtGuatemocalso，buttherewerefewtroopstospare，forthemostofourforcehadbeendespatchedtothreatenacitynamedChalco，that，thoughitspeoplewereoftheAztecblood，hadnotbeenashamedtodeserttheAzteccause。
StillIofferedtoleadthetwentythousandOtomieswhomIcommandedagainsttheTlascalanconvoy，andthematterwasdebatedhotlyatacouncilofwar。
ButthemostofthecouncilwereagainsttheriskingofanengagementwiththeSpaniardsandtheiralliessofarfromthecity，andthustheopportunitywentbytoreturnnomore。
Itwasanevilfortuneliketherest，forintheendthesebrigantinesbroughtaboutthefallofTenoctitlanbycuttingoffthesupplyoffood，whichwascarriedincanoesacrossthelake。
Alas！thebravestcandonothingagainstthepoweroffamine。
Hungerisaverygreatman，astheIndianssay。
NowtheAztecsfightingalonewerefacetofacewiththeirfoesandthelaststrugglebegan。
FirsttheSpaniardscuttheaqueductwhichsuppliedthecitywithwaterfromthespringsattheroyalhouseofChapoltepec，whitherIwastakenonbeingbroughttoMexico。
Henceforthtilltheendofthesiege，theonlywaterthatwefoundtodrinkwasthebrackishandmuddyfluidfurnishedbythelakeandwellssunkinthesoil。
Althoughitmightbedrunkafterboilingtofreeitofthesalt，itwasunwholesomeandfilthytothetaste，breedingvariouspainfulsicknessesandfevers。
ItwasonthisdayofthecuttingoftheaqueductthatOtomieboremeason，ourfirst-born。
Alreadythehardshipsofthesiegeweresogreatandnourishingfoodsoscarce，thathadshebeenlessstrong，orhadIpossessedlessskillinmedicine，Ithinkthatshewouldhavedied。
Stillsherecoveredtomygreatthankfulnessandjoy，andthoughIamnoclerkIbaptizedtheboyintotheChristianChurchwithmyownhand，naminghimThomasafterme。
Nowdaybydayandweekbyweekthefightingwentonwithvaryingsuccess，sometimesinthesuburbsofthecity，sometimesonthelake，andsometimesintheverystreets。
TimeontimetheSpaniardsweredrivenbackwithloss，timeontimetheyadvancedagainfromtheirdifferentcamps。
Oncewecapturedsixtyofthemandmorethanathousandoftheirallies。
AlltheseweresacrificedonthealtarofHuitzel，andgivenovertobedevouredbytheAztecsaccordingtothebeastlikecustomwhichinAnahuacenjoinedtheeatingofthebodiesofthosewhowereofferedtothegods，notbecausetheIndianslovesuchmeatbutforasecretreligionsreason。
InvaindidIprayGuatemoctoforegothishorror。
’Isthisatimeforgentleness？’heansweredfiercely。
’Icannotsavethemfromthealtar，andIwouldnotifIcould。
Letthedogsdieaccordingtothecustomoftheland，andtoyou，Teulemybrother，Isaypresumenottoofar。’
Alas！theheartofGuatemocgreweverfiercerasthestruggleworeon，andindeeditwaslittletobewonderedat。
ThiswasthedreadfulplanofCortes:todestroythecitypiecemealasheadvancedtowardsitsheart，anditwascarriedoutwithoutmercy。
SosoonastheSpaniardsgotfootinginaquarter，thousandsoftheTlascalansweresettoworktofirethehousesandburnallinthemalive。
BeforethesiegewasdoneTenoctitlan，queenofthevalley，wasbutaheapofblackenedruins。
CortesmighthavecriedoverMexicowithIsaiahtheprophet:’Thypompisbroughtdowntothegrave，andthenoiseofthyviols:thewormisspreadundertheeandthewormscoverthee。
Howartthoufallenfromheaven，OLucifer，sonofthemorning！howartthoucutdowntothegroundwhichdidstweakenthenations！’
InallthesefightsItookmypart，thoughitdoesnotbecomemetoboastmyprowess。
StilltheSpaniardsknewmewellandtheyhadgoodreason。
Whenevertheysawmetheywouldgreetmewithrevilings，callingme’traitorandrenegade，’and’Guatemoc’swhitedog，’andmoreover，Cortessetapriceuponmyhead，forheknewthroughhisspiesthatsomeofGuatemoc’smostsuccessfulattacksandstratagemshadbeenofmydevising。
ButItooknoheedevenwhentheirinsultspiercedmelikearrows，forthoughmanyoftheAztecsweremyfriendsandIhatedtheSpaniards，itwasashamefulthingthataChristianmanshouldbewarringonthesideofcannibalswhomadehumansacrifice。
Itooknoheed，sincealwaysI
wasseekingformyfoedeGarcia。
HewasthereIknew，forIsawhimmanytimes，butIcouldnevercomeathim。
Indeed，ifI
watchedforhimhealsowatchedforme，butwithanotherpurpose，toavoidme。
FornowasofolddeGarciafearedme，nowasofoldhebelievedthatIshouldbringhisdeathuponhim。
Itwasthecustomofwarriorsintheopposingarmiestosendchallengestosinglecombat，onetoanother，andmanysuchduelswerefoughtinthesightofall，safeconductbeinggiventothecombatantsandtheirseconds。
Uponaday，despairingofmeetinghimfacetofaceinbattle，IsentachallengetodeGarciabyaherald，underhisfalsenameofSarceda。
InanhourtheheraldreturnedwiththismessagewrittenonpaperinSpanish:
’Christianmendonotfightduelswithrenegadeheathendogs，whiteworshippersofdevilsandeatersofhumanflesh。
Thereisbutoneweaponwhichsuchcannotdefile，arope，anditwaitsforyou，ThomasWingfield。’
Itorethewritingtopiecesandstampeduponitinmyrage，fornow，toallhisothercrimesagainstme，deGarciahadaddedtheblackestinsult。
Butwrathavailedmenothing，forIcouldnevercomenearhim，thoughonce，withtenofmyOtomies，IchargedintotheheartoftheSpanishcolumnafterhim。
FromthatrushIaloneescapedalive，thetenOtomiesweresacrificedtomyhate。
HowshallIpaintthehorrorsthatdaybydaywereheapeduponthedoomedcity？
Soonallthefoodwasgone，andmen，ay，andworsestill，tenderwomenandchildren，musteatsuchmeatasswinewouldhaveturnedfrom，strivingtokeeplifeinthemforalittlelonger。
Grass，thebarkoftrees，slugsandinsects，washeddownwithbrackishwaterfromthelake，theseweretheirbestfood，theseandthefleshofcaptivesofferedinsacrifice。
Nowtheybegantodiebyhundredsandbythousands，theydiedsofastthatnonecouldburythem。
Wheretheyperished，theretheylay，tillatlengththeirbodiesbredaplague，ablackandhorriblefeverthatsweptoffthousandsmore，whointurnbecametherootofpestilence。
ForonewhowaskilledbytheSpaniardsandtheirallies，twoweresweptoffbyhungerandplague。
Thinkthenwhatwasthenumberofdeadwhennotlessthanseventythousandperishedbeneaththeswordandbyfirealone。
Indeed，itissaidthatfortythousanddiedinthismannerinasingleday，thedaybeforethelastofthesiege。
OnenightIcamebacktothelodgingwhereOtomiedweltwithherroyalsisterTecuichpo，thewifeofGuatemoc，fornowallthepalaceshadbeenburntdown。
Iwasstarving，forIhadscarcelytastedfoodforfortyhours，butallthatmywifecouldsetbeforemewerethreelittlemealcakes，ortortillas，mixedwithbark。
Shekissedmeandbademeeatthem，butIdiscoveredthatsheherselfhadtouchednofoodthatday，soIwouldnottillshesharedthem。
ThenInotedthatshecouldscarcelyswallowthebittermorsels，andalsothatshestrovetohidetearswhichrandownherface。
’Whatisit，wife？’Iasked。
ThenOtomiebrokeoutintoagreatandbittercryingandsaid:
’This，mybeloved:fortwodaysthemilkhasbeendryinmybreast——
hungerhasdriedit——andourbabeisdead！
Look，heliesdead！’
andshedrewasideaclothandshowedmethetinybody。
’Hush，’Isaid，’heissparedmuch。
Canwethendesirethatachildshouldlivetoseesuchdaysaswehaveseen，andafterall，todieatlast？’
’Hewasourson，ourfirst-born，’shecriedagain。
’Oh！whymustwesufferthus？’
’Wemustsuffer，Otomie，becauseweareborntoit。
Justsomuchhappinessisgiventousasshallsaveusfrommadnessandnomore。
Askmenotwhy，forIcannotansweryou！
Thereisnoanswerinmyfaithorinanyother。’
Andthen，lookingonthatdeadbabe，Iweptalso。
Everyhourinthoseterriblemonthsitwasmylottoseeathousandsightsmoreawful，andyetthissightofadeadinfantmovedmethemostofallofthem。
Thechildwasmine，myfirstborn，itsmotherweptbesideme，anditsstiffandtinyfingersseemedtodragatmyheartstrings。
Seeknotthecause，fortheAlmightyWhogavetheheartitsinfinitepowerofpainalonecananswer，andtoourearsHeisdumb。
ThenItookamattockanddugaholeoutsidethehousetillIcametowater，whichinTenoctitlanisfoundatadepthoftwofeetorso。
And，havingmutteredaprayeroverhim，thereinthewaterI
laidthebodyofourchild，buryingitoutofsight。
Attheleasthewasnotleftforthezapilotes，astheAztecscallthevultures，liketherestofthem。
Afterthatweweptourselvestosleepineachother’sarms，Otomiemurmuringfromtimetotime，’Oh！myhusband，Iwouldthatwewereasleepandforgotten，weandthebabetogether。’
’Restnow，’Ianswered，’fordeathisveryneartous。’
Themorrowcame，andwithitadeadlierfraythananythathadgonebefore，andafteritmoremorrowsandmoredeaths，butstillwelivedon，forGuatemocgaveusofhisfood。