Madnessstillburnedintheheartsofthesewomen；theyhadaccomplishedtheirsacrifice，buttheirfestivalwasstilltocome。
Theydrewthemselvesawaytothefurthersideofthepyramid，and，heedlessoftheshotswhichnowandagainpiercedthebreastofoneofthem——forheretheywereexposedtotheSpanishfire——remainedawhileinpreparation。
Withthemwentthepriestsofsacrifice，butnow，asbefore，therestofthemenstoodinsullengroups，watchingwhatbefell，butliftingnohandorvoicetohinderitshellishness。
Onewomandidnotgowiththem，andthatwomanwasOtomiemywife。
Shestoodbythestoneofsacrifice，apiteoussighttosee，forherfrenzyorratherhermadnesshadoutwornitself，andshewasasshehadeverbeen。
TherestoodOtomie，gazingwithwideandhorror-strickeneyesnowatthetokensofthisunholyriteandnowatherownhands——asthoughshethoughttoseethemred，andshudderedatthethought。
Idrewneartoherandtouchedherontheshoulder。
Sheturnedswiftly，gasping，
’Husband！husband！’
’ItisI，’Ianswered，’butcallmehusbandnomore。’
’Oh！whathaveIdone？’shewailed，andfellsenselessinmyarms。
AndhereIwilladdwhatatthetimeIknewnothingof，foritwastoldmeinafteryearsbytheRectorofthisparish，averylearnedman，thoughoneofnarrowmind。
HadIknownitindeed，IshouldhavespokenmorekindlytoOtomiemywifeeveninthathour，andthoughtmoregentlyofherwickedness。
Itseems，sosaidmyfriendtheRector，thatfromthemostancienttimes，thosewomenwhohavebentthekneetodemongods，suchaswerethegodsofAnahuac，aresubjectatanytimetobecomepossessedbythem，evenaftertheyhaveabandonedtheirworship，andtobedrivenintheirfrenzytotheworkingofthegreatestcrimes。
Thus，amongotherinstances，hetoldmethataGreekpoetnamedTheocritussetsoutinoneofhisidylshowawomancalledAgave，beingengagedinasecretreligiousorgieinhonourofademonnamedDionysus，perceivedherownsonPentheuswatchingthecelebrationofthemysteries，andthereonbecomingpossessedbythedemonshefellonhimandmurderedhim，beingaidedbytheotherwomen。
Forthisthepoet，whowasalsoaworshipperofDionysus，gavehergreathonourandnotreproach，seeingthatshedidthedeedatthebehestofthisgod，’adeednottobeblamed。’
NowIwriteofthisforareason，thoughithasnothingtodowithme，foritseemsthatasDionysuspossessedAgave，drivinghertounnaturalmurder，sodidHuitzelpossessOtomie，andindeedshesaidasmuchtomeafterwards。
ForIamsurethatifthedevilswhomtheGreeksworshippedhadsuchpower，astillgreaterstrengthwasgiventothoseofAnahuac，whoamongallfiendswerethefirst。
Ifthisbeso，asIbelieve，itwasnotOtomiethatIsawattheritesofsacrifice，butratherthedemonHuitzelwhomshehadonceworshipped，andwhohadpower，therefore，toenterintoherbodyforawhileinplaceofherownspirit。
TakingOtomieinmyarms，Iborehertooneofthestorehousesattachedtothetemple。
Heremanychildrenhadbeenplacedforsafety，amongthemmyownson。
’Whatailsourmother，father？’saidtheboy。
’Andwhydidsheshutmeinherewiththesechildrenwhenitseemsthatthereisfightingwithout？’
’Yourmotherhasfainted，’Ianswered，’anddoubtlesssheplacedyouheretokeepyousafe。
NowdoyoutendhertillIreturn。’
’Iwilldoso，’answeredtheboy，’butsurelyitwouldbebetterthatI，whoamalmostaman，shouldbewithout，fightingtheSpaniardsatyoursideratherthanwithin，nursingsickwomen。’
’DoasIbidyou，son，’Isaid，’andIchargeyounottoleavethisplaceuntilIcomeforyouagain。’
NowIpassedoutofthestorehouse，shuttingthedoorbehindme。
A
minutelaterIwishedthatIhadstayedwhereIwas，sinceontheplatformmyeyesweregreetedbyasightmoredreadfulthananythathadgonebefore。
Forthere，advancingtowardsus，werethewomendividedintofourgreatcompanies，someofthembearinginfantsintheirarms。
Theycamesingingandleaping，manyofthemnakedtothemiddle。
Norwasthisall，forinfrontofthemranthepabasandsuchofthewomenthemselvesaswerepersonsinauthority。
Theseleaders，maleandfemale，ranandleapedandsang，callinguponthenamesoftheirdemon-gods，andcelebratingthewickednessesoftheirforefathers，whileafterthempouredthehowlingtroopsofwomen。
Toandfrotheyrushed，nowmakingobeisancetothestatueofHuitzel，nowprostratingthemselvesbeforehishideoussister，thegoddessofDeath，whosatbesidehimadornedwithhercarvennecklaceofmen’sskullsandhands，nowbowingaroundthestoneofsacrifice，andnowthrustingtheirbarearmsintotheflamesoftheholyfire。
Foranhourormoretheycelebratedthisghastlycarnival，ofwhichevenI，versedasIwasintheIndiancustoms，couldnotfullyunderstandthemeaning，andthen，asthoughsomesingleimpulsehadpossessedthem，theywithdrewtothecentreoftheopenspace，and，formingthemselvesintoadoublecircle，withinwhichstoodthepabas，ofasuddentheyburstintoachantsowildandshrillthatasIlistenedmybloodcurdledinmyveins。
Evennowtheburdenofthatchantwiththevisionofthosewhosangitsometimeshauntsmysleepatnight，butIwillnotwriteithere。
Lethimwhoreadsimagineallthatismostcruelintheheartofman，andeveryterroroftheevillestdream，addingtothesesomehorror-riddentaleofmurder，ghosts，andinhumanvengeance；then，ifhecan，lethimshapethewholeinwordsand，asinaglassdarkly，perchancehemaymirrorthespiritofthatlastancientsongofthewomenoftheOtomie，withitssobs，itscriesoftriumph，anditsdeathwailings。
Everastheysang，stepbysteptheydrewbackwards，andwiththemwenttheleadersofeachcompany，theireyesfixeduponthestatuesoftheirgods。
Nowtheywerebutasegmentofacircle，fortheydidnotadvancetowardsthetemple；backwardandoutwardtheywentwithaslowandsolemntramp。
Therewasbutonelineofthemnow，forthoseinthesecondringfilledthegapsinthefirstasitwidened；stilltheydrewontillatlengththeystoodonthesheeredgeoftheplatform。
Thenthepriestsandthewomenleaderstooktheirplaceamongthemandforamomenttherewassilence，untilatasignaloneandalltheybentthembackwards。
Standingthus，theirlonghairwavingonthewind，thelightofburninghousesflaringupontheirbreastsandintheirmaddenedeyes，theyburstintothecryof:
’SAVEUS，HUITZEL！RECEIVEUS，LORDGOD，OURHOME！’
Thricetheycriedit，eachtimemoreshrillythanbefore，thensuddenlytheywereGONE，thewomenoftheOtomiewerenomore！
Withtheirownself-slaughtertheyhadconsummatedthelastcelebrationoftheritesofsacrificethatevershallbeheldintheCityofPines。
Thedevilgodsweredeadandtheirworshipperswiththem。
Alowmurmurranroundthelipsofthemenwhowatched，thenonecried，andhisvoicerangstrangelyinthesuddensilence:’Mayourwives，thewomenoftheOtomie，restsoftlyintheHousesoftheSun，forofasuretytheyteachushowtodie。’
’Ay，’Ianswered，’butnotthus。
Letwomendoself-murder，ourfoeshaveswordsfortheheartsofmen。’
Iturnedtogo，andbeforemestoodOtomie。
’Whathasbefallen？’shesaid。
’Wherearemysisters？
Oh！surelyIhavedreamedanevildream。
Idreamedthatthegodsofmyforefatherswerestrongoncemore，andthatoncemoretheydrankthebloodofmen。
’Yourilldreamhasaworseawakening，Otomie，’Ianswered。
’Thegodsofhellarestillstrongindeedinthisaccursedland，andtheyhavetakenyoursistersintotheirkeeping。’
’Isitso？’shesaidsoftly，’yetinmydreamitseemedtomethatthiswastheirlaststrengtheretheysinkintodeathunending。
Lookyonder！’andshepointedtowardthesnowycrestofthevolcanXaca。
Ilooked，butwhetherIsawthesightofwhichIamabouttotellorwhetheritwasbutanimaginingbornofthehorrorsofthatmosthideousnight，intruthIcannotsay。
AttheleastIseemedtoseethis，andafterwardsthereweresomeamongtheSpaniardswhosworethattheyhadwitnesseditalso。
OnXaca’sloftysummit，nowasalwaysstoodapillaroffierysmoke，andwhileIgazed，tomyvisionthesmokeandthefireseparatedthemselves。
Outofthefirewasfashionedacrossofflame，thatshonelikelightningandstretchedformanyarodacrosstheheavens，itsbaserestingonthemountaintop。
Atitsfootrolledthecloudsofsmoke，andnowthesetootookformsvastandterrifying，suchformsindeedasthosethatsatinstonewithinthetemplebehindme，butmagnifiedahundredfold。
’See，’saidOtomieagain，’thecrossofyourGodshinesabovetheshapesofmine，thelostgodswhomto-nightIworshippedthoughnotofmyownwill。’
Thensheturnedandwent。
ForsomefewmomentsIstoodverymuchafraid，gazinguponthevisiononXaca’ssnow，thensuddenlytheraysoftherisingsunsmoteitanditwasgone。
NowforthreedaysmoreweheldoutagainsttheSpaniards，fortheycouldnotcomeatusandtheirshotsweptoverourheadsharmlessly。
DuringthesedaysIhadnotalkwithOtomie，forweshrankfromoneanother。
Hourbyhourshewouldsitinthestorehouseofthetempleaverypictureofdesolation。
TwiceI
triedtospeakwithher，myheartbeingmovedtopitybythedumbtormentinhereyes，butsheturnedherheadfrommeandmadenoanswer。
SoonitcametotheknowledgeoftheSpaniardsthatwehadenoughfoodandwaterupontheteocallitoenableustolivethereforamonthormore，andseeingthattherewasnohopeofcapturingtheplacebyforceofarms，theycalledaparleywithus。
Iwentdowntothebreachintheroadwayandspokewiththeirenvoy，whostooduponthepathbelow。
Atfirstthetermsofferedwerethatweshouldsurrenderatdiscretion。
TothisIansweredthatsoonerthandosowewoulddiewherewewere。
Theirreplywasthatifwewouldgiveoverallwhohadanypartinthehumansacrifice，therestofusmightgofree。
TothisIsaidthatthesacrificehadbeencarriedoutbywomenandsomefewmen，andthatalloftheseweredeadbytheirownhands。
TheyaskedifOtomiewasalsodead。
Itoldthemno，butthatIwouldneversurrenderunlesstheysworethatneithershenorhersonshouldbeharmed，butratherthattogetherwithmyselftheyshouldbegivenasafe-
conducttogowhitherwewilled。
Thiswasrefused，butintheendIwontheday，andaparchmentwasthrownuptomeonthepointofalance。
Thisparchment，whichwassignedbytheCaptainBernalDiaz，setoutthatinconsiderationofthepartthatIandsomemenoftheOtomiehadplayedinrescuingtheSpanishcaptivesfromdeathbysacrifice，apardonwasgrantedtome，mywifeandchild，andallupontheteocalli，withlibertytogowhither-soeverwewouldunharmed，ourlandsandwealthbeinghoweverdeclaredforfeittotheviceroy。
WiththesetermsIwaswellcontent，indeedIhadneverhopedtowinanythatwouldleaveusourlivesandliberty。
Andyetformypartdeathhadbeenalmostaswelcome，fornowOtomiehadbuiltawallbetweenusthatIcouldneverclimb，andI
wasboundtoher，toawomanwho，willinglyorno，hadstainedherhandswithsacrifice。
Well，mysonwaslefttomeandwithhimI
mustbesatisfied；attheleastheknewnothingofhismother’sshame。
Oh！IthoughttomyselfasIclimbedtheteocalli，oh！thatIcouldbutescapefarfromthisaccursedlandandbearhimwithmetotheEnglishshores，ay，andOtomiealso，forthereshemightforgetthatonceshehadbeenasavage。
Alas！itcouldscarcelybe！
Comingtothetemple，Iandthosewithmetoldthegoodtidingstoourcompanions，whoreceiveditsilently。
Menofawhiteracewouldhaverejoicedthustoescape，forwhendeathisnearallotherlossseemsasnothing。