Nothingcanmakemanlookondeathlovingly，andthatawaitingmewasonefromwhichthebravestwouldshrink，yetIfeltthatOtomiehadspokentruth，andthat，terribleasitseemed，itmightprovelessterriblethanlifehadshewnitselftobe。
Anunnaturalcalmfelluponmysoullikesomedensemistuponthefaceoftheocean。
Beneaththatmistthewatersmightfoam，aboveitthesunmightshine，yetaroundwasonegreypeace。
InthishourIseemedtostandoutsideofmyearthlyself，andtolookonallthingswithanewsense。
Thetideoflifewasebbingawayfromme，theshoreofdeathloomedverynear，andI
understoodthen，asinextremeoldageIunderstandto-day，howmuchmorepartwemortalshaveindeaththaninthisshortaccidentoflife。
Icouldconsiderallmypast，Icouldwonderonthefutureofmyspirit，andevenmarvelatthegentlenessandwisdomoftheIndianwoman，whowasabletothinksuchthoughtsandutterthem。
Well，whateverbefell，inonethingIwouldnotdisappointher，I
woulddiebravelyasanEnglishmanshoulddo，leavingtheresttoGod。
Thesebarbariansshouldneversayofmethattheforeignerwasacoward。
WhowasIthatIshouldcomplain？
DidnothundredsofmenasgoodasIwasperishdailyinyondersquare，andwithoutamurmur？
Hadnotmymotherdiedalsoatthehandofamurderer？
Wasnotthatunhappylady，IsabelladeSiguenza，walledupalivebecauseshehadbeenmadenoughtoloveavillainwhobetrayedher？
Theworldisfullofterrorsandsorrowssuchasmine，whowasI
thatIshouldcomplain？
SoImusedontillatlengththedaydawned，andwiththerisingsunrosetheclamourofmenmakingreadyforbattle。
Fornowthefightragedfromdaytoday，andthiswastobeoneofthemostterrible。
ButIthoughtlittlethenofthewarbetweentheAztecsandtheSpaniards，whomustpreparemyselfforthestruggleofmyowndeaththatwasnowathand。
CHAPTERXXI
THEKISSOFLOVE
Presentlytherewasasoundofmusic，and，accompaniedbycertainartists，mypagesentered，bearingwiththemapparelmoregorgeousthananythatIhadwornhitherto。
First，thesepageshavingstrippedmeofmyrobes，theartistspaintedallmybodyinhideousdesignsofred，andwhite，andblue，tillIresembledaflag，notevensparingmyfaceandlips，whichtheycolouredwithcarminehues。
Overmyheartalsotheydrewascarletringwithmuchcareandmeasurement。
Thentheydidupmyhairthatnowhunguponmyshoulders，afterthefashioninwhichitwaswornbygeneralsamongtheIndians，tyingitonthetopofmyheadwithanembroideredribbonredincolour，andplacedaplumeofcock’sfeathersaboveit。
Next，havingarrayedmybodyingorgeousvestmentsnotunlikethoseusedbypopishpriestsatthecelebrationofthemass，theysetgoldenearringsinmyears，goldenbraceletsonmywristsandankles，androundmyneckacollarofpricelessemeralds。
Onmybreastalsotheyhungagreatgemthatgleamedlikemoonlitwater，andbeneathmychinafalsebeardmadefrompinkseashells。
ThenhavingtwinedmeroundwithwreathsofflowerstillIthoughtofthemaypoleonBungayCommon，theyrestedfromtheirlabours，filledwithadmirationattheirhandiwork。
Nowthemusicsoundedagainandtheygavemetwolutes，oneofwhichImustholdineitherhand，andconductedmetothegreathallofthepalace。
Hereanumberofpeopleofrankweregathered，alldressedinfestalattire，andherealsoonadaistowhichI
wasled，stoodmyfourwivescladintherichdressesofthefourgoddessesXochi，Xilo，Atla，andClixto，afterwhomtheywerenamedforthedaysoftheirwifehood，AtlabeingtheprincessOtomie。
WhenIhadtakenmyplaceuponthedais，mywivescameforwardonebyone，andkissingmeonthebrow，offeredmesweetmeatsandmealcakesingoldenplatters，andcocoaandmescalingoldencups。
OfthemescalIdrank，foritisaspiritandIneededinwardcomfort，buttheotherdaintiesIcouldnottouch。
Theseceremoniesbeingfinished，therewassilenceforawhile，tillpresentlyabandoffilthypriestsenteredatthefarendofthechamber，cladintheirscarletsacrificialrobes。
Bloodwasonthemeverywhere，theirlonglocksweremattedwithit，theirhandswereredwithit，eventheirfierceeyesseemedfullofit。
Theyadvancedupthechambertilltheystoodbeforethedais，thensuddenlytheheadpriestlifteduphishands，cryingaloud:
’Adoretheimmortalgod，yepeople，’andallthosegatheredthereprostratedthemselvesshouting:
’Weadorethegod。’
Thricethepriestcriedaloud，andthricetheyansweredhimthus，prostratingthemselvesateveryanswer。
Thentheyroseagain，andthepriestaddressedme，saying:
’Forgiveus，OTezcat，thatwecannothonouryouasitismeet，foroursovereignshouldhavebeenheretoworshipyouwithus。
Butyouknow，OTezcat，howsoreisthestraitofyourservants，whomustwagewarintheirowncityagainstthosewhoblasphemeyouandyourbrothergods。
Youknowthatourbelovedemperorlieswounded，aprisonerintheirunholyhands。
Whenwehavegratifiedyourlongingtopassbeyondtheskies，OTezcat，andwheninyourearthlypersonyouhavetaughtusthelessonthathumanprosperityisbutashadowwhichfleesaway；inmemoryofourloveforyouintercedeforus，webeseechyou，thatwemaysmitethesewickedonesandhonouryouandthembytheriteoftheirownsacrifice。
O
Tezcat，youhavedweltwithusbutalittlewhile，andnowyouwillnotsufferthatweholdyoulongerfromyourglory，foryoureyeshavelongedtoseethishappyday，anditiscomeatlast。
Wehavelovedyou，Tezcat，andministeredtoyou，grantinreturnthatwemayseeyouinyoursplendour，wewhoareyourlittlechildren，andtillwecome，watchwelloverourearthlywelfare，andthatofthepeopleamongwhomyouhavedeignedtosojourn。’
Havingspokensomesuchwordsasthese，thatattimescouldscarcelybeheardbecauseofthesobbingofthepeople，andofmywiveswhoweptloudly，exceptOtomiealone，thisvillainouspriestmadeasignandoncemorethemusicsounded。
Thenheandhisbandplacedthemselvesaboutme，mywivesthegoddessesgoingbeforeandafter，andledmedownthehallandontothegatewaysofthepalace，whichwerethrownwideforustopass。
Lookingroundmewithastonywonder，forinthismylasthournothingseemedtoescapemynotice，Isawthatastrangeplaywasbeingplayedaboutus。
SomehundredsofpacesawaytheattackonthepalaceofAxa，wheretheSpaniardswereentrenched，ragedwithfury。
BandsofwarriorswereattemptingtoscalethewallsandbeingdrivenbackbythedeadlyfireoftheSpaniardsandthepikesandclubsoftheirTlascalanallies，whilefromtheroofsofsuchoftheneighbouringhousesasremainedunburned，andmoreespeciallyfromtheplatformofthegreatteocalli，onwhichImustpresentlygiveuptheghost，arrows，javelins，andstoneswerepouredbythousandsintothecourtyardsandouterworksoftheSpanishquarters。
Fivehundredyardsawayorso，ragedthisstruggletothedeath，butaboutme，aroundthegatesofMontezuma’spalaceonthehithersideofthesquare，wasadifferentscene。
Hereweregatheredavastcrowd，amongthemmanywomenandchildren，waitingtoseemedie。
Theycamewithflowersintheirhands，withthesoundofmusicandjoyouscries，andwhentheysawmetheysetupsuchashoutofwelcomethatitalmostdrownedthethunderofthegunsandtheangryroarofbattle。
Nowandagainanill-aimedcannonballwouldploughthroughthem，killingsomeandwoundingothers，buttheresttooknoheed，onlycryingthemore，’Welcome，Tezcat，andfarewell。
Blessingsonyou，ourdeliverer，welcomeandfarewell！’
Wewentslowlythroughthepress，treadingonapathofflowers，tillwecameacrossthecourtyardtothebaseofthepyramid。
Hereattheoutergatetherewasahaltbecauseofthemultitudeofthepeople，andwhilewewaitedawarriorthrusthiswaythroughthecrowdandbowedbeforeme。
GlancingupIsawthatitwasGuatemoc。
’Teule，’hewhisperedtome，’Ileavemychargeyonder，’andhenoddedtowardstheforcewhostrovetobreakawayintothepalaceofAxa，’tobidyoufarewell。
Doubtlessweshallmeetagainerelong。
Believeme，Teule，IwouldhavehelpedyouifIcould，butitcannotbe。
IwishthatImightchangeplaceswithyou。
Myfriend，farewell。
Twiceyouhavesavedmylife，butyoursIcannotsave。’
’Farewell，Guatemoc，’Ianswered’heavenprosperyou，foryouareatrueman。’
Thenwepassedon。
Atthefootofthepyramidtheprocessionwasformed，andhereoneofmywivesbademeadieuafterweepingonmyneck，thoughIdidnotweeponhers。
Nowtheroadtothesummitoftheteocalliwindsroundandroundthepyramid，evermountinghigherasitwinds，andalongthisroadwewentinsolemnstate。
Ateachturnwehaltedandanotherwifebademealastgood-bye，oroneofmyinstrumentsofmusic，whichIdidnotgrievetoseethelastof，orsomearticleofmystrangeattire，wastakenfromme。
Atlengthafteranhour’smarch，forourprogresswasslow，wereachedtheflattopofthepyramidthatisapproachedbyagreatstair，aspacelargerthantheareaofthechurchyardhereatDitchingham，andunfencedatitsloftyedge。
HereonthisdizzyplacestoodthetemplesofHuitzelandofTezcat，soaringstructuresofstoneandwood，withinwhichwereplacedthehorrideffigiesofthegods，anddreadfulchambersstainedwithsacrifice。
Here，too，weretheholyfiresthatburnedeternally，thesacrificialstones，theimplementsoftorment，andthehugedrumofsnakes’skin，butfortherestthespotwasbare。
Itwasbarebutnotempty，foronthatsideofitwhichlookedtowardstheSpanishquarterswerestationedsomehundredsofmenwhohurledmissilesintotheircampwithoutceasing。
Ontheothersidealsoweregatheredaconcourseofpriestsawaitingtheceremonyofmydeath。
Belowthegreatsquare，fringedroundwithburnt-outhouses，wascrowdedwiththousandsofpeople，someofthemengagedincombatwiththeSpaniards，butthelargerpartcollectedtheretowitnessmymurder。
Nowwereachedthetopofthepyramid，twohoursbeforemidday，fortherewerestillmanyritestobecarriedouterethemomentofsacrifice。
FirstIwasledintothesanctuaryofTezcat，thegodwhosenameIbore。
Herewashisstatueoridol，fashionedinblackmarbleandcoveredwithgoldenornaments。
Inthehandofthisidolwasashieldofburnishedgoldonwhichitsjewelledeyeswerefixed，readingthere，ashispriestsfabled，allthatpassedupontheearthhehadcreated。
Beforehimalsowasaplateofgold，whichwithmutteredinvocationstheheadpriestcleansedasI