’Makeready！’Ianswered。
Thensheroseandsoonwasbusywiththeropes。
Atlengthallwaspreparedandthemomentofdeathwasathand。
’Youmustaidme，Otomie，’Isaid；’Icannotwalkbymyself。’
Shecameandliftedmewithherstrongandtenderarms，tillI
stooduponastoolbeneaththewindowbars。
Theresheplacedtheropeaboutmythroat，thentakingherstandbymeshefittedthesecondropeuponherown。
Nowwekissedinsolemnsilence，fortherewasnothingmoretosay。
YetOtomiesaidsomething，asking:
’Ofwhomdoyouthinkinthismoment，husband？
Ofmeandofmydeadchild，orofthatladywholivesfaracrossthesea？
Nay，I
willnotask。
Ihavebeenhappyinmylove，itisenough。
Nowloveandlifemustendtogether，anditiswellforme，butforyouIgrieve。
Say，shallIthrustawaythestool？’
’Yes，Otomie，sincethereisnohopebutdeath。
IcannotbreakmyfaithwithGuatemoc，norcanIlivetoseeyoushamedandtortured。’
’Thenkissmefirstandforthelasttime。’
Wekissedagainandthen，asshewasintheveryactofpushingthestoolfrombeneathus，thedooropenedandshut，andaveiledwomanstoodbeforeus，bearingatorchinonehandandabundleintheother。
Shelooked，andseeingusandourdreadfulpurpose，rantous。
’Whatdoyou？’shecried，andIknewthevoiceforthatofMarina。
’Areyouthenmad，Teule？’
’Whoisthiswhoknowsyousowell，husband，andwillnotevensufferthatwedieinpeace？’askedOtomie。
’IamMarina，’answeredtheveiledwoman，’andIcometosaveyouifIcan。’
E
NowOtomieputtheropeoffherneck，anddescendingfromthestool，stoodbeforeMarina。
’YouareMarina，’shesaidcoldlyandproudly，’andyoucometosaveus，youwhohavebroughtruinonthelandthatboreyou，andhavegiventhousandsofherchildrentodeath，andshame，andtorment。
Now，ifIhadmyway，Iwouldhavenoneofyoursalvation，nay，IwouldrathersavemyselfasIwasabouttodo。’
ThusOtomiespoke，andneverhadshelookedmoreroyalthaninthismoment，whensheriskedherlastchanceoflifethatshemightpouroutherscornupononewhomshedeemedatraitress，no，onewhowasatraitress，forhaditnotbeenforMarina’switandaid，CorteswouldneverhaveconqueredAnahuac。
ItrembledasIheardherangrywords，for，allIsufferednotwithstanding，lifestillseemedsweettome，who，tensecondsago，hadstooduponthevergeofdeath。
SurelyMarinawoulddepartandleaveustoourdoom。
Butitwasnotso。
Indeed，sheshrankandtrembledbeforeOtomie’scontempt。
Theywereastrangecontrastintheirdifferentlovelinessastheystoodfacetofaceinthetortureden，anditwasstrangealsotoseethespiritoftheladyofroyalblood，threatenedasshewaswithashamefuldeath，orstillmoreshamefullife，triumphovertheIndiangirlwhomto-dayfortunehadsetasfaraboveherasthestars。
’Say，royallady，’askedMarinainhergentlevoice，’forwhatcausedidyou，iftalesaretrue，liebythesideofyonderwhitemanuponthestoneofsacrifice？’
’BecauseIlovehim，Marina。’
’AndforthissamecausehaveI，Marina，laidmyhonouruponadifferentaltar，forthissamecauseIhavestrivenagainstthechildrenofmypeople，becauseIloveanothersuchashe。
ItisforloveofCortesthatIhaveaidedCortes，thereforedespisemenot，butletyourlovepleadformine，seeingthat，touswomen，loveisall。
Ihavesinned，Iknow，butdoubtlessinitsseasonmysinshallfindafittingpunishment。’
’Ithadneedbesharp，’answeredOtomie。
’Mylovehasharmednone，seebeforeyoubutonegrainofthecountlessharvestofyourown。
InyonderchairGuatemocyourkingwasthisdaytorturedbyyourmasterCortes，whosworetotreathimwithallhonour。
ByhissidesatTeule，myhusbandandyourfriend；himCortesgaveovertohasprivateenemy，deGarcia，whomyounameSarceda。
Seehowhehaslefthim。
Nay，donotshudder，gentlelady；looknowathiswounds！
Considertowhatapasswearedrivenwhenyoufindusabouttodiethuslikedogs，he，myhusband，thathemaynotlivetoseemehandledashehasbeen，andIwithhim，becauseaprincessoftheOtomieandofMontezuma’sbloodcannotsubmittosuchashamewhiledeathhasonedoorthroughwhichtocreep。
Itisbutasinglegrainofyourharvest，outcastandtraitress，theharvestofmiseryanddeaththatisstoredyonderintheruinsofTenoctitlan。
HadImywill，ItellyouthatIhadsoonerdieascoreoftimesthantakehelpfromahandsostainedwiththebloodofmypeopleandofyours——I——’
’Oh！cease，lady，cease，’groanedMarina，coveringhereyeswithherhand，asthoughthesightofOtomieweredreadfultoher。
’Whatisdoneisdone；donotaddtomyremorse。
Whatdidyousay，thatyou，theladyOtomie，werebroughtheretobetortured？’
’Evenso，andbeforemyhusband’seyes。
WhyshouldMontezuma’sdaughterandtheprincessoftheOtomieescapethefateoftheemperoroftheAztecs？
Ifherwomanhooddoesnotprotecther，hassheanythingtohopeofherlostrank？’
’Cortesknowsnothingofthis，Iswearit，’saidMarina。
’Totheresthehasbeendrivenbytheclamourofthesoldiers，whotaunthimwithstealingtreasurethathehasneverfound。
Butofthislastwickednessheisinnocent。’
’ThenlethimaskhistoolSarcedaofit。’
’AsforSarceda，Ipromiseyou，princess，thatifIcanIwillavengethisthreatuponhim。
Buttimeisshort，IamcomeherewiththeknowledgeofCortes，toseeifIcanwinthesecretofthetreasurefromTeule，yourhusband，andformyfriendship’ssakeI
amabouttobetraymytrustandhelphimandyoutofly。
Doyourefusemyaid？’
Otomiesaidnothing，butIspokeforthefirsttime。
’Nay，Marina，Ihavenoloveforthisthief’sfateifIcanescapeit，buthowisittobedone？’
’Thechanceispoorenough，Teule，butIbethoughtmethatonceoutofthisprisonyoumightslipawaydisguised。
Fewwillbestirringatdawn，andofthemthemostwillnotbekeentonoticemenorthings。
See，IhavebroughtyouthedressofaSpanishsoldier；
yourskinisdark，andinthehalflightyoumightpassasone；andfortheprincessyourwife，Ihavebroughtanotherdress，indeedI
amashamedtoofferit，butitistheonlyonethatwillnotbenotedatthishour；also，Teule，Ibringyouasword，thatwhichwastakenfromyou，thoughIthinkthatonceithadanotherowner。’
NowwhileshespokeMarinaundidherbundle，andthereinitwerethedressesandthesword，thesamethatIhadtakenfromtheSpaniardDiazinthemassacreofthenochetriste。
Firstshedrewoutthewoman’srobeandhandedittoOtomie，andIsawthatitwassucharobeasamongtheIndiansiswornbythewomenwhofollowcamps，arobewithredandyellowinit。
Otomiesawitalsoanddrewback。
’Surely，girl，youhavebroughtagarmentofyourowninerror，’
shesaidquietly，butinsuchafashionasshowedmoreofthesavageheartthatisnativetoherracethansheoftensufferedtobeseen；’attheleastIcannotwearsuchrobes。’
’ItseemsthatImustbeartoomuch，’answeredMarina，growingwrothatlast，andstrivingtokeepbackthetearsthatstartedtohereyes。
’Iwillawayandleaveyou；’andshebegantorollupherbundle。
’Forgiveher，Marina，’Isaidhastily，forthedesiretoescapegrewonmeeveryminute；’sorrowhassetanedgeuponhertongue。’
ThenturningtoOtomieIadded，’Iprayyoubemoregentle，wife，formysakeifnotforyourown。
Marinaisouronlyhope。’
’Wouldthatshehadleftustodieinpeace，husband。
Well，sobeit，foryoursakeIwillputonthesegarmentsofadrab。
Buthowshallweescapeoutofthisplaceandthecamp？
Willthedoorbeopenedtous，andtheguardsremoved，andifwepassthem，canyouwalk，husband？’
’Thedoorswillnotbeopened，lady，’saidMarina，’forthosewaitwithout，whowillseethattheyarelockedwhenIhavepassedthem。
Buttherewillbenothingtofearfromtheguard，trusttomeforit。
See，thebarsofthiswindowarebutofwood，thatswordwillsoonseverthem，andifyouareseenyoumustplaythepartofadrunkensoldierbeingguidedtohisquartersbyawoman。
FortherestIknownothing，savethatIrungreatriskforyoursakes，sinceifitisdiscoveredthatIhaveaidedyou，thenIshallfindithardtosoftentherageofCortes，who，thewarbeingwon，’andshesighed，’doesnotneedmenowsomuchasoncehedid。’
’Icanmakeshifttohoponmyrightfoot，’Isaid，’andfortherestwemusttrusttofortune。
Itcangiveusnoworsegiftsthanthosewehavealready。’
’Sobeit，Teule，andnowfarewell，forIdarestaynolonger。
I
candonothingmore。
Mayyourgoodstarshineonyouandleadyouhenceinsafety；andTeule，ifwenevermeetagain，Iprayyouthinkofmekindly，fortherearemanyintheworldwhowilldootherwiseinthedaystocome。’
’Farewell，Marina，’Isaid，andshewasgone。
Weheardthedoorsclosebehindher，andthedistantvoicesofthosewhoboreherlitter，thenallwassilence。
Otomielistenedatthewindowforawhile，buttheguardsseemedtobegone，whereorwhyIdonotknowtothishour，andtheonlysoundwasthatofdistantrevelryfromthecamp。
’Andnowtothework，’IsaidtoOtomie。
’Asyouwish，husband，butIfearitwillbeprofitless。
Idonottrustthatwoman。
Faithlessinall，withoutdoubtshebetraysus。
Stillattheworstyouhavethesword，andcanuseit。’
’Itmatterslittle，’Ianswered。
’Ourplightcannotbeworsethanitisnow；lifehasnogreaterevilsthantormentanddeath，andtheyarewithusalready。’
ThenIsatuponthestool，andmyarmsbeingleftsoundandstrong，Ihackedwiththesharpswordatthewoodenbarsofthewindow，severingthemonebyonetilltherewasaspacebigenoughforustocreepthrough。
Thisbeingdoneandnoonehavingappearedtodisturbus，OtomiecladmeintheclothesofaSpanishsoldierwhichMarinahadbrought，forIcouldnotdressmyself。
WhatI
sufferedinthedonningofthosegarments，andmoreespeciallyinthepullingofthelongbootontomyburntfoot，canneverbetold，butmorethanonceIstopped，ponderingwhetheritwouldnotbebettertodieratherthantoenduresuchagonies。
Atlastitwasdone，andOtomiemustputontheredandyellowrobe，agarbofshamesuchasmanyhonestIndianwomenwoulddiesoonerthanbeseenin，andIthinkthatasshedidthis，heragonywasgreaterthanmine，thoughofanothersort，fortoherproudheart，thatdresswasaveryshirtofNessus。
Presentlyshewasclad，andmincedbeforemewithsavagemockery，saying:
’Prithee，soldier，doIlookmypart？’
’Apeacetosuchfooling，’Ianswered；’ourlivesareatstake，whatdoesitmatterhowwedisguiseourselves？’
’Itmattersmuch，husband，buthowcanyouunderstand，whoareamanandaforeigner？