Imentionthisgirlherefortworeasons，firstbecauseshesavedmeoncefromsacrificeandoncefromtorture，andsecondlybecauseshewasnoneotherthanthatwomanwhoafterwardsbecameknownasMarina，themistressofCortes，withoutwhoseaidhehadneverconqueredMexico。
ButatthistimeshedidnotguessthatitwasherdestinytobringhercountryofAnahuacbeneaththecruelyokeoftheSpaniard。
FromthemomentofmyentryIsawthatMarina，asIwillcallher，forherIndiannameistoolongtobewritten，tookpityonmyforlornstate，anddidwhatlayinherpowertoprotectmefromvulgarcuriosityandtoministertomywants。
Itwasshewhobroughtmewatertowashin，andacleanrobeoflinentoreplacemyfoulandtatteredgarments，andacloakfashionedofbrightfeathersformyshoulders。
Whensupperwasdoneamatwasgivenmetosleeponinalittleroomapart，andhereIlaydown，thinkingthatthoughImightbelostforevertomyownworld，atleastIhadfallenamongapeoplewhoweregentleandkindly，andmoreover，asIsawfrommanytokens，nosavages。
Onething，however，disturbedme；IdiscoveredthatthoughIwaswelltreated，alsoIwasaprisoner，foramanarmedwithacopperspearsleptacrossthedoorwayofmylittleroom。
BeforeIlaydownIlookedthroughthewoodenbarswhichservedasaprotectiontothewindowplace，andsawthatthehousestoodupontheborderofalargeopenspace，inthemidstofwhichagreatpyramidtoweredahundredfeetormoreintotheair。
OnthetopofthispyramidwasabuildingofstonethatItooktobeatemple，andrightly，infrontofwhichafireburned。
Marvellingwhatthepurposeofthisgreatworkmightbe，andinhonourofwhatfaithitwaserected，Iwenttosleep。
OnthemorrowIwastolearn。
Hereitmaybeconvenientformetostate，whatIdidnotdiscovertillafterwards，thatIwasinthecityofTobasco，thecapitalofoneofthesouthernprovincesofAnahuac，whichissituatedatadistanceofsomehundredsofmilesfromthecentralcityofTenoctitlan，orMexico。
TheriverwhereIhadbeencastawaywastheRiodeTobasco，whereCorteslandedinthefollowingyear，andmyhost，orrathermycaptor，wasthecaciqueorchiefofTobasco，thesamemanwhosubsequentlypresentedMarinatoCortes。
Thusitcameaboutthat，withtheexceptionofacertainAguilar，whowithsomecompanionswaswreckedonthecoastofYucatansixyearsbefore，IwasthefirstwhitemanwhoeverdweltamongtheIndians。
ThisAguilarwasrescuedbyCortes，thoughhiscompanionswereallsacrificedtoHuitzel，thehorriblewar-godofthecountry。
ButthenameoftheSpaniardswasalreadyknowntotheIndians，wholookedonthemwithsuperstitiousfear，forintheyearprevioustomybeingcastaway，thehidalgoHernandezdeCordovahadvisitedthecoastofYucatanandfoughtseveralbattleswiththenatives，andearlierinthesameyearofmyarrival，JuandeGrigalvahadcometothisveryriverofTobasco。
ThusitcameaboutthatIwassetdownasoneofthisstrangenewnationofTeules，astheIndiansnamedtheSpaniards，andthereforeasanenemyforwhosebloodthegodswerethirsting。
Iawokeatdawnmuchrefreshedwithsleep，andhavingwashedandclothedmyselfinthelinenrobesthatwereprovidedforme，Icameintothelargeroom，wherefoodwasgivenme。
ScarcelyhadI
finishedmymealwhenmycaptor，thecacique，entered，accompaniedbytwomenwhoseappearancestruckterrortomyheart。
Incountenancetheywerefierceandhorrible；theyworeblackrobesembroideredwithmysticcharactersinred，andtheirlongandtangledhairwasmattedtogetherwithsomestrangesubstance。
Thesemen，whomallpresent，includingthechieforcacique，seemedtolookonwiththeutmostreverence，glaredatmewithafiercegleethatmademybloodruncold。
Oneofthem，indeed，toreopenmywhiterobeandplacedhisfilthyhanduponmyheart，whichbeatquicklyenough，countingitsthrobsaloudwhiletheothernoddedathiswords。
AfterwardsIlearnedthathewassayingthatIwasverystrong。
Glancingroundtofindtheinterpretationofthisactuponthefacesofthoseaboutme，myeyescaughtthoseofthegirlMarina，andtherewasthatinthemwhichleftmeinlittledoubt。
Horrorandpitywerewrittenthere，andIknewthatsomedreadfuldeathovershadowedme。
BeforeIcoulddoanything，beforeIcouldeventhink，Iwasseizedbythepriests，orpabasastheIndiansnamethem，anddraggedfromtheroom，allthehouseholdfollowingusexceptMarinaandthecacique。
NowIfoundmyselfinagreatsquareormarketplaceborderedbymanyfinehousesofstoneandlime，andsomeofmud，whichwasfillingrapidlywithavastnumberofpeople，menwomenandchildren，whoallstaredatmeasIwenttowardsthepyramidonthetopofwhichthefireburned。
AtthefootofthispyramidIwasledintoalittlechamberhollowedinitsthickness，andheremydresswastornfrommebymorepriests，leavingmenakedexceptforaclothaboutmyloinsandachapletofbrightflowerswhichwassetuponmyhead。
Inthischamberwerethreeothermen，Indians，whofromthehorrorontheirfacesI
judgedtobealsodoomedtodeath。
Presentlyadrumbegantobeathighaboveus，andweweretakenfromthechamberandplacedinaprocessionofmanypriests，I
beingthefirstamongthevictims。
Thenthepriestssetupachantandwebegantheascentofthepyramid，followingaroadthatwoundroundandrounditsbulktillitendedonaplatformatitssummit，whichmayhavemeasuredfortypacesinthesquare。
Hencetheviewofthesurroundingcountrywasveryfine，butinthathourI
scarcelynoticedit，havingnocareforprospects，howeverpleasing。
Onthefurthersideoftheplatformweretwowoodentowersfiftyfeetorsoinheight。
Thesewerethetemplesofthegods，HuitzelGodofWarandQuetzalGodoftheAir，whosehideouseffigiescarvedinstonegrinnedatusthroughtheopendoorways。
Inthechambersofthesetemplesstoodsmallaltars，andonthealtarswerelargedishesofgold，containingtheheartsofthosewhohadbeensacrificedontheyesterday。
Thesechambers，moreover，wereencrustedwitheverysortoffilth。
Infrontofthetemplesstoodthealtarwhereonthefireburnedeternally，andbeforeitwereahog-backedblockofblackmarbleofthesizeofaninndrinkingtable，andagreatcarvenstoneshapedlikeawheel，measuringsometenfeetacrosswithacopperringinitscentre。
AllthesethingsIrememberedafterwards，thoughatthetimeI
scarcelyseemedtoseethem，forhardlywerewearrivedontheplatformwhenIwasseizedanddraggedtothewheel-shapedstone。
Hereahidegirdlewasputroundmywaistandsecuredtotheringbyaropelongenoughtoenablemetoruntotheedgeofthestoneandnofurther。
Thenaflint-pointedspearwasgiventomeandspearsweregivenalsotothetwocaptiveswhoaccompaniedme，anditwasmadecleartomebysignsthatImustfightwiththem，itbeingtheirparttoleapuponthestoneandminetodefendit。
NowIthoughtthatifIcouldkillthesetwopoorcreatures，perhapsI
myselfshouldbeallowedtogofree，andsotosavemylifeI
preparedtotaketheirsifIcould。
Presentlytheheadpriestgaveasignalcommandingthetwomentoattackme，buttheyweresolostinfearthattheydidnotevenstir。
Thenthepriestsbegantoflogthemwithleathergirdlestillatlengthcryingoutwithpain，theyranatme。
Onereachedthestoneandleaptuponitalittlebeforetheother，andIstruckthespearthroughhisarm。
Instantlyhedroppedhisweaponandfled，andtheothermanfledalso，fortherewasnofightinthem，norwouldanyfloggingbringthemtofacemeagain。
Seeingthattheycouldnotmakethembrave，thepriestsdeterminedtohavedonewiththem。
Amidstagreatnoiseofmusicandchanting，hewhomIhadsmittenwasseizedanddraggedtothehog-
backedblockofmarble，whichintruthwasastoneofsacrifice。
Onthishewascastdown，breastupwards，andheldsobyfivepriests，twogrippinghishands，twohislegs，andonehishead。
Then，havingdonnedascarletcloak，theheadpriest，thatsamewhohadfeltmyheart，utteredsomekindofprayer，and，raisingacurvedknifeoftheflint-likeglassoritztli，struckopenthepoorwretch’sbreastatasingleblow，andmadetheancientofferingtothesun。
Ashedidthisallthemultitudeintheplacebelow，infullviewofwhomthisbloodygamewasplayed，prostratedthemselves，remainingontheirkneestilltheofferinghadbeenthrownintothegoldencenserbeforethestatueofthegodHuitzel。
Thereonthehorriblepriests，castingthemselvesonthebody，carrieditwithshoutstotheedgeofthepyramidorteocalli，androlleditdownthesteepsides。
Atthefootoftheslopeitwasliftedandborneawaybycertainmenwhowerewaiting，forwhatpurposeIdidnotknowatthattime。
Scarcelywasthefirstvictimdeadwhenthesecondwasseizedandtreatedinalikefashion，themultitudeprostratingthemselvesasbefore。
Andthenlastofallcamemyturn。
Ifeltmyselfseizedandmysensesswam，nordidIrecoverthemtillIfoundmyselflyingontheaccursedstone，thepriestsdraggingatmylimbsandhead，mybreaststrainedupwardstilltheskinwasstretchedtightasthatofadrum，whileovermestoodthehumandevilinhisredmantle，theglassknifeinhishand。
NevershallIforgethiswickedfacemaddenedwiththelustforblood，ortheglareinhiseyesashetossedbackhismattedlocks。
Buthedidnotstrikeatonce，hegloatedoverme，prickingmewiththepointoftheknife。
ItseemedtomethatIlaythereforyearswhilethepabaaimedandpointedwiththeknife，butatlastthroughamistthatgatheredbeforemyeyes，Isawitflashupward。
ThenwhenIthoughtthatmyhourhadcome，ahandcaughthisarminmid-airandhelditandI
heardavoicewhispering。
Whatwassaiddidnotpleasethepriest，forsuddenlyhehowledaloudandmadeadashtowardsmetokillme，butagainhisarmwascaughtbeforetheknifefell。
ThenhewithdrewintothetempleofthegodQuetzal，andforalongwhileIlayuponthestonesufferingtheagoniesofahundreddeaths，forIbelievedthatitwasdeterminedtotorturemebeforeIdied，andthatmyslaughterhadbeenstayedforthispurpose。
ThereIlayuponthestone，thefiercesunlightbeatingonmybreast，whilefrombelowcamethefaintmurmurofthethousandsofthewonderingpeople。
AllmylifeseemedtopassbeforemeasI
wasstretcheduponthatawfulbed，ahundredlittlethingswhichI
hadforgottencamebacktome，andwiththemmemoriesofchildhood，ofmyoathtomyfather，ofLily’sfarewellkissandwords，ofdeGarcia’sfaceasIwashurledintothesea，ofthedeathofIsabelladeSiguenza，andlastlyavaguewonderastowhyallpriestsweresocruel！
AtlengthIheardfootstepsandshutmyeyes，forIcouldbearthesightofthatdreadfulknifenolonger。
Butbehold！noknifefell。
SuddenlymyhandswereloosedandIwasliftedtomyfeet，onwhichIneverhopedtostandagain。
ThenIwasbornetotheedgeoftheteocalli，forIcouldnotwalk，andheremywould-bemurderer，thepriest，havingfirstshoutedsomewordstothespectatorsbelow，thatcausedthemtomurmurlikeaforestwhenthewindstirsit，claspedmeinhisblood-stainedarmsandkissedmeontheforehead。
NowitwasforthefirsttimethatInoticedmycaptor，thecacique，standingatmyside，grave，courteous，andsmiling。
Ashehadsmiledwhenhehandedmetothepabas，sohesmiledwhenhetookmebackfromthem。