’WemustseekshelterintheCityofPines，orflyacrossthewater；thereisnootherchoice，husband。’
’Wecannottrythesea，Otomie，foralltheshipsthatcomehereareSpanish，andIdonotknowhowtheywillgreetusintheCityofPinesnowthatourcauseislost，andwithitsomanythousandsoftheirwarriors。’
’Wemusttaketherisk，husband。
TherearestilltrueheartsinAnahuac，whowillstandbyusinoursorrowandtheirown。
Attheleastwehaveescapedfromgreaterdangers。
Nowletmedressyourwoundsandrestawhile。’
SoforthreemoredaysIlayinthecaveofthemountainsandOtomietendedme，andattheendofthattimemystatewassuchthatIcouldtravelinalitter，thoughforsomeweeksIwasunabletosetfoottotheground。
Onthefourthdaywestartedbynight，andIwascarriedonmen’sshoulderstillatlengthwepassedupthegorgethatleadstotheCityofPines。
HerewewerestoppedbysentriestowhomOtomietoldourtale，biddingsomeofthemgoforwardandrepeatittothecaptainsofthecity。
Wefollowedthemessengersslowly，formybearerswereweary，andcametothegatesofthebeautifultownjustastheredraysofsunsetstruckuponthesnowypinnacleofXacathattowersbehindit，turninghercapofsmoketoasullenred，likethatofmolteniron。
Thenewsofourcominghadspreadabout，andhereandthereknotsofpeopleweregatheredtowatchuspass。
Forthemostparttheystoodsilent，butnowandagainsomewomanwhosehusbandorsonhadperishedinthesiege，wouldhissacurseatus。
Alas！howdifferentwasourstatethisdaytowhatithadbeenwhennotayearbeforeweenteredtheCityofPinesforthefirsttime。
Thenwewereescortedbyanarmytenthousandstrong，thenmusicianshadsungbeforeusandourpathwasstrewnwithflowers。
Andnow！
NowwecametwofugitivesfromthevengeanceoftheTeules，Iborneinalitterbyfourtiredsoldiers，whileOtomie，theprincessofthispeople，stillcladinherwanton’srobe，atwhichthewomenmocked，forshehadbeenabletocomebynoother，trampedatmyside，sincetherewerenonetocarryher，andtheinhabitantsoftheplacecursedusastheauthorsoftheirwoes。
Nordidweknowiftheywouldstopatwords。
Atlengthwecrossedthesquarebeneaththeshadowoftheteocalli，andreachedtheancientandsculpturedpalaceasthelightfailed，andthesmokeonXaca，theholyhill，begantoglowwiththefireinitsheart。
Heresmallpreparationhadbeenmadetoreceiveus，andthatnightwesuppedbythelightofatorchupontortillasormealcakesandwater，likethehumblestintheland。
Thenwecrepttoourrest，andasIlayawakebecauseofthepainofmyhurts，I
heardOtomie，whothoughtthatIslept，breakintolowsobbingatmyside。
Herproudspiritwashumbledatlast，andshe，whomIhadneverknowntoweepexceptonce，whenourfirstborndiedinthesiege，weptbitterly。
’Whydoyousorrowthus，Otomie？’Iaskedatlength。
’Ididnotknowthatyouwereawake，husband，’shesobbedinanswer，’orIwouldhavecheckedmygrief。
Husband，Isorrowoverallthathasbefallenusandmypeople——also，thoughthesearebutlittlethings，becauseyouarebroughtlowandtreatedasamanofnoestate，andofthecoldcomfortthatwefindhere。’
’Youhavecause，wife，’Ianswered。
’Say，whatwilltheseOtomiesdowithus——killus，orgiveusuptotheTeules？’
’Idonotknow；to-morrowweshalllearn，butformypartIwillnotbesurrenderedliving。’
’NorI，wife。
DeathisbetterthanthetendermerciesofCortesandhisminister，deGarcia。
Isthereanyhope？’
’Yes，thereishope，beloved。
NowtheOtomiearecastdownandtheyrememberthatweledthefloweroftheirlandtodeath。
Buttheyarebraveandgenerousatheart，andifIcantouchthemthere，allmayyetbewell。
Weariness，painandmemorymakeusweak，whoshouldbefullofcourage，havingescapedsomanyills。
Sleep，myhusband，andleavemetothink。
Allshallyetgowell，forevenmisfortunehasanend。’
SoIslept，andwokeinthemorningsomewhatrefreshedandwithahappiermind，forwhoistherethatisnotbolderwhenthelightshinesonhimandheisrenewedbyrest？
WhenIopenedmyeyesthesunwasalreadyhigh，butOtomiehadrisenwiththedawnandshehadnotbeenidleduringthosethreehours。
Foronethingshehadcontrivedtoobtainfoodandfreshraimentmorebefittingtoourrankthantheragsinwhichwewereclothed。
Alsoshehadbroughttogethercertainmenofconditionwhowerefriendlyandloyaltoherinmisfortune，andtheseshesentaboutthecity，lettingitbeknownthatshewouldaddressthepeopleatmid-dayfromthestepsofthepalace，forasOtomieknewwell，theheartstringsofacrowdaretouchedmoreeasilythanthoseofcoldandancientcounsellors。
’Willtheycometolisten？’Iasked。
’Havenofear，’sheanswered。
’Thedesiretolookuponuswhohavesurvivedthesiege，andtoknowthetruthofwhathashappened，willbringthem。
Moreover，somewillbethereseekingvengeanceonus。’
Otomiewasright，forasthemorningdrewontowardsmid-day，IsawthedwellersintheCityofPinesgatheringinthousands，tillthespacebetweenthestepsofthepalaceandthefaceofthepyramidwasblackwiththem。
NowOtomiecombedhercurlinghairandplacedflowersinit，andsetagleamingfeathercloakabouthershoulders，sothatithungdownoverherwhiterobes，andonherbreastthatsplendidnecklaceofemeraldswhichGuatemochadgiventomeinthetreasurechamber，andwhichshehadpreservedsafelythroughallourevilfortune，andagoldengirdleaboutherwaist。
Inherhandalsoshetookalittlesceptreofebonytippedwithgold，thatwasinthepalace，withotherornamentsandemblemsofrank，andthusattired，thoughshewaswornwithtravelandsuffering，andgriefhaddimmedherbeautyforawhile，sheseemedthequeenliestwomanthatmyeyeshaveseen。
Nextshecausedmetobelaiduponmyrudelitter，andwhenthehourofnoonwascome，shecommandedthosesoldierswhohadbornemeacrossthemountainstocarrymebyherside。
Thusweissuedfromthewidedoorwayofthepalaceandtookourstandupontheplatformattheheadofthesteps。
Aswecameagreatcryrosefromthethousandsofthepeople，afiercecrylikethatofwildbeastshowlingfortheirprey。
Higherandhigheritrose，asoundtostriketerrorintothebravestheart，andbydegreesIcaughtitspurport。
’Killthem！’saidthecry。
’GivetheliarstotheTeules。’
Otomiesteppedforwardtotheedgeoftheplatform，andliftingtheebonysceptreshestoodsilent，thesunlightbeatingonherlovelyfaceandform。
Butthemultitudescreamedathousandtauntsandthreatsatus，andstillthetumultgrew。
Oncetheyrushedtowardsherasthoughtotearhertopieces，butfellbackatthelaststair，asawavefallsfromarock，andonceaspearwasthrownthatpassedbetweenherneckandshoulder。
Nowthesoldierswhohadcarriedme，makingcertainthatourdeathwasathand，andhavingnowishtoshareit，setmylitterdownuponthestonesandslippedbackintothepalace，butallthiswhileOtomieneversomuchasmoved，no，notevenwhenthespearhissedpasther。
Shestoodbeforethemstatelyandscornful，averyqueenamongwomen，andlittlebylittlethemajestyofherpresenceandthegreatnessofhercouragehushedthemtosilence。
Whentherewasquietatlength，shespokeinaclearvoicethatcarriedfar。
’AmIamongmyownpeopleoftheOtomie？’sheaskedbitterly，’orhavewelostourpathandwanderedperchanceamongsomesavageTlascalantribe？
Listen，peopleoftheOtomie。
Ihavebutonevoiceandnonecanreasonwithamultitude。
Chooseyouatonguetospeakforyou，andlethimsetoutthedesireofyourhearts。’
Nowthetumultbeganagain，forsomeshoutedonenameandsomeanother，butintheendapriestandnoblenamedMaxtlasteppedforward，amanofgreatpoweramongtheOtomie，who，aboveallhadfavouredanalliancewiththeSpaniardsandopposedthesendingofanarmytoaidGuatemocinthedefenceofTenoctitlan。
Nordidhecomealone，forwithhimwerefourchiefs，whombytheirdressI
knewtobeTlascalansandenvoysfromCortes。
Thenmyheartsank，foritwasnotdifficulttoguesstheobjectoftheircoming。
’Speakon，Maxtla，’saidOtomie，’forwemusthearwhatthereisforustoanswer，andyou，peopleoftheOtomie，Iprayyoukeepsilence，thatyoumayjudgebetweenuswhenthereisanendoftalking。’
Nowagreatsilencefelluponthemultitude，whopressedtogetherlikesheepinapen，andstrainedtheirearstocatchthewordsofMaxtla。
’Myspeechwithyou，princess，andtheTeuleyouroutlawedhusband，shallbeshortandsharp，’hebeganroughly。
’AwhilehenceyoucamehithertoseekanarmytoaidCuitlahua，EmperoroftheAztecs，inhisstrugglewiththeTeules，thesonsofQuetzal。
Thatarmywasgivenyou，againstthewishesofmanyofus，foryouwonoverthecouncilbythehoneyofyourwords，andwewhourgedcaution，orevenanalliancewiththewhitemen，thechildrenofgod，wereoverruled。
Youwenthence，andtwentythousandmen，theflowerofourpeople，followedyoutoTenoctitlan。
Wherearetheynow？
Iwilltellyou。
Sometwohundredofthemhavecreptbackhome，therestflytoandfrothroughtheairinthegizzardsofthezaphilotes，orcrouchontheearthinthebelliesofjackals。
Deathhasthemall，andyouledthemtotheirdeaths。
Isitthenmuchthatweshouldseekthelivesofyoutwoinpaymentforthoseoftwentythousandofoursons，ourhusbands，andourfathers？
Butwedonotevenaskthis。
HerebesidemestandambassadorsfromMalinche，thecaptainoftheTeules，whoreachedourcitybutanhourago。
ThisisthedemandthattheybringfromMalinche，andinhisownwords:
’“DeliverbacktomeOtomie，thedaughterofMontezuma，andtherenegadeherparamour，whoisknownasTeule，andwhohasfledfromthejusticeduetohiscrimes，anditshallbewellwithyou，peopleoftheOtomie。
Hidethemorrefusetodeliverthem，andthefateoftheCityofPinesshallbeasthefateofTenoctitlan，queenofthevalley。
Choosethenbetweenmyloveandmywrath，peopleoftheOtomie。
Ifyouobey，thepastshallbeforgivenandmyyokewillbelightuponyou；ifyourefuse，yourcityshallbestampedflatandyourverynamewipedoutoftherecordsoftheworld。“
’Say，messengersofMalinche，arenotthesethewordsofMalinche？’
’Theyarehisverywords，Maxtla，’saidthespokesmanoftheembassy。
Nowagaintherewasatumultamongthepeople，andvoicescried，’Givethemup，givethemtoMalincheasapeaceoffering。’
Otomiestoodforwardtospeakanditdiedaway，foralldesiredtohearherwords。
Thenshespoke:
’Itseems，peopleoftheOtomie，thatIamonmytrialbeforemyownvassals，andmyhusbandwithme。
Well，Iwillpleadourcauseaswellasawomanmay，andhavingthepower，youshalljudgebetweenusandMaxtlaandhisallies，MalincheandtheTlascalans。
Whatisouroffence？
ItisthatwecamehitherbythecommandofCuitlahuatoseekyouraidinhiswarwiththeTeules。
WhatdidI
tellyouthen？
ItoldyouthatifthepeopleofAnahuacwouldnotstandtogetheragainstthewhitemen，theymustbebrokenonebyonelikethesticksofanunboundfaggot，andcastintotheflames。