lovedherwellandIwasfaithfulinmyoathtoher，indeed，notuntilshewasdeaddidIknowhowdearshehadgrowntome。
Itistruethattherewasagreatgulfbetweenuswhichwidenedwiththeyears，thegulfofbloodandfaith，forIknewwellthatshecouldnotaltogetherputawayheroldbeliefs，anditistruethatwhenI
sawherleadingthedeathchant，agreathorrortookmeandforawhileIloathedher。
ButthesethingsImighthavelivedtoforgive，fortheywerepartofherbloodandnature，moreover，thelastandworstofthemwasnotdonebyherownwill，andwhentheyweresetasidethereremainedmuchthatIcouldhonourandloveinthememoryofthismostroyalandbeautifulwoman，whoforsomanyyearswasmyfaithfulwife。
SoIthoughtinthathourandsoI
thinktothisday。
Shesaidthatwepartedforever，butItrustandIbelievethatthisisnotso。
Surelythereisforgivenessforusall，andaplacewherethosewhowerenearanddeartoeachotherontheearthmayoncemorerenewtheirfellowship。
AtlastIrosewithasightoseekhelp，andasIroseIfeltthattherewassomethingsetaboutmyneck。
ItwasthecollarofgreatemeraldswhichGuatemochadgiventome，andthatIhadgiventoOtomie。
ShehadsetittherewhileIslept，andwithitalockofherlonghair。
Bothshallbeburiedwithme。
Ilaidherintheancientsepulchreamidthebonesofherforefathersandbythebodiesofherchildren，andtwodayslaterI
rodetoMexicointhetrainofBernalDiaz。
AtthemouthofthepassIturnedandlookedbackupontheruinsoftheCityofPines，whereIhadlivedsomanyyearsandwhereallIlovedwereburied。
LongandearnestlyIgazed，asinhishourofdeathamanlooksbackuponhispastlife，tillatlengthDiazlaidhishanduponmyshoulder:
’Youarealonelymannow，comrade，’hesaid；’whatplanshaveyouforthefuture？’
’None，’Ianswered，’excepttodie。’
’Nevertalkso，’hesaid；’why，youarescarcelyforty，andIwhoamfiftyandmoredonotspeakofdying。
Listen；youhavefriendsinyourowncountry，England？’
’Ihad。’
’Folklivelonginthosequietlands。
Goseekthem，IwillfindyouapassagetoSpain。’
’Iwillthinkofit，’Ianswered。
IntimewecametoMexico，anewandastrangecitytome，forCorteshadrebuiltit，andwheretheteocallihadstood，upwhichI
wasledtosacrifice，acathedralwasbuilding，whereofthefoundationswerefitlylaidwiththehideousidolsoftheAztecs。
Theplacewaswellenough，butitisnotsobeautifulastheTenoctitlanofMontezuma，noreverwillbe。
Thepeopletoowerechanged；thentheywerewarriorsandfree，nowtheyareslaves。
InMexicoDiazfoundmealodging。
Nonemolestedmethere，forthepardonthatIhadreceivedwasrespected。
AlsoIwasaruinedman，nolongertobefeared，thepartthatIhadplayedinthenochetristeandinthedefenceofthecitywasforgotten，andthetaleofmysorrowswonmepityevenfromtheSpaniards。
IabodeinMexicotendays，wanderingsadlyaboutthecityanduptothehillofChapoltepec，whereMontezuma’spleasure-househadbeen，andwhereIhadmetOtomie。
Nothingwasleftofitsgloriesexceptsomeoftheancientcedartrees。
OntheeighthdayofmystayanIndianstoppedmeinthestreet，sayingthatanoldfriendhadchargedhimtosaythatshewishedtoseeme。
IfollowedtheIndian，wonderingwhothefriendmightbe，forIhadnofriends，andheledmetoafinestonehouseinanewstreet。
HereIwasseatedinadarkenedchamberandwaitedthereawhile，tillsuddenlyasadandsweetvoicethatseemedfamiliartome，addressedmeintheAztectongue，saying，’Welcome，Teule。’
Ilookedandtherebeforeme，dressedintheSpanishfashion，stoodalady，anIndian，stillbeautiful，butveryfeebleandmuchworn，asthoughwithsicknessandsorrow。
’DoyounotknowMarina，Teule？’shesaidagain，butbeforethewordshadleftherlipsIknewher。
’Well，Iwillsaythis，thatI
shouldscarcelyhaveknownYOU，Teule。
Troubleandtimehavedonetheirworkwithbothofus。’
Itookherhandandkissedit。
’WherethenisCortes？’Iasked。
Nowagreattremblingseizedher。
’CortesisinSpain，pleadinghissuit。
Hehaswedanewwifethere，Teule。
Manyyearsagoheputmeaway，givingmeinmarriagetoDonJuanXaramillo，whotookmebecauseofmypossessions，forCortesdealtliberallywithme，hisdiscardedmistress。’
Andshebegantoweep。
ThenbydegreesIlearnedthestory，butIwillnotwriteithere，foritisknowntotheworld。
WhenMarinahadservedhisturnandherwitwasofnomoreservicetohim，theconquerordiscardedher，leavinghertowitherofabrokenheart。
Shetoldmeallthetaleofheranguishwhenshelearnedthetruth，andofhowshehadcriedtohimthatthenceforthhewouldneverprosper。
Norindeeddidhedoso。
Fortwohoursormorewetalked，andwhenIhadheardherstoryI
toldhermine，andsheweptforme，sincewithallherfaultsMarina’sheartwasevergentle。
Thenwepartednevertomeetagain。
BeforeIwentshepressedagiftofmoneyonme，andIwasnotashamedtotakeitwhohadnone。
ThisthenwasthehistoryofMarina，whobetrayedhercountryforherlove’ssake，andthistherewardofhertreasonandherlove。
ButIshallalwaysholdhermemorysacred，forshewasagoodfriendtome，andtwiceshesavedmylife，norwouldshedesertme，evenwhenOtomietauntedhersocruelly。
NowonthemorrowofmyvisittoMarina，theCaptainDiazcametoseemeandtoldmethatafriendofhiswasincommandofacarakwhichwasduetosailfromtheportofVeraCruzforCadizwithintendays，andthatthisfriendwaswillingtogivemeapassageifIwishedtoleaveMexico。
IthoughtforawhileandsaidthatI
wouldgo，andthatverynight，havingbidfarewelltotheCaptainDiaz，whommayGodprosper，forhewasagoodmanamongmanybadones，Isetoutfromthecityforthelasttimeinthecompanyofsomemerchants。
Aweek’sjourneytookussafelydownthemountainstoVeraCruz，ahotunhealthytownwithanindifferentanchorage，muchexposedtothefiercenortherlywinds。
HereIpresentedmylettersofrecommendationtothecommanderofthecarak，whogavemepassagewithoutquestion，Ilayinginastockoffoodforthejourney。
Threenightslaterwesetsailwithafairwind，andonthefollowingmorningatdaybreakallthatwasleftinsightofthelandofAnahuacwasthesnowycrestofthevolcanOrizaba。
Presentlythatvanishedintotheclouds，andthusdidIbidfarewelltothefarcountrywheresomanythingshadhappenedtome，andwhichaccordingtomyreckoningIhadfirstsightedonthisverydayeighteenyearsbefore。
OfmyjourneytoSpainIhavenothingofnotetotell。
Itwasmoreprosperousthansuchvoyagesoftenare，andwithintenweeksofthedateofourliftinganchoratVeraCruz，weletitdropintheharbourofCadiz。
HereIsojournedbuttwodays，forasitchancedtherewasanEnglishshipintheharbourtradingtoLondon，andinherItookapassage，thoughIwasobligedtosellthesmallestoftheemeraldsfromthenecklacetofindthemeanstodoso，themoneythatMarinagavemebeingspent。
Thisemeraldsoldforagreatsum，however，withpartofwhichIpurchasedclothingsuitabletoapersonofrank，takingtherestofthegoldwithme。
Igrievedtopartwiththestoneindeed，thoughitwasbutapendanttothependantofthecollar，butnecessityknowsnolaw。
Thependantstoneitself，afinegemthoughflawed，IgaveinafteryearstohergraciousmajestyQueenElizabeth。
OnboardtheEnglishshiptheythoughtmeaSpanishadventurerwhohadmademoneysintheIndies，andIdidnotundeceivethem，sinceIwouldbelefttomyowncompanyforawhilethatImightpreparemymindtoreturntowaysofthoughtandlifethatithadlongforgotten。
ThereforeIsatapartlikesomeprouddon，sayinglittlebutlisteningmuch，andlearningallIcouldofwhathadchancedinEnglandsinceIleftitsometwentyyearsbefore。
Atlengthourvoyagecametoanend，andonacertaintwelfthofJuneIfoundmyselfinthemightycityofLondonthatIhadneveryetvisited，andkneelingdowninthechamberofmyinn，IthankedGodthatafterenduringsomanydangersandhardships，ithadpleasedHimtopreservemetosetfootagainonEnglishsoil。
IndeedtothishourIcountitnothingshortofmarvellousthatthisfrailbodyofamanshouldsurviveallthesorrowsandrisksofdeathbysickness，hunger，battle，murder，drowning，wildbeasts，andthecrueltyofmen，towhichminehadbeenexposedformanyyears。
InLondonIboughtagoodhorse，throughthekindofficesofthehostofmyinn，andonthemorrowatdaybreakIsetoutupontheIpswichroad。
Thatverymorningmylastadventurebefellme，forasIjoggedalongmusingofthebeautyoftheEnglishlandscapeanddrinkinginthesweetairofJune，acowardlythieffiredapistolatmefrombehindahedge，purposingtoplundermeifIfell。
Thebulletpassedthroughmyhat，grazingtheskull，butbeforeIcoulddoanythingtherascalfled，seeingthathehadmissedhismark，andIwentonmyjourney，thinkingtomyselfthatitwouldindeedhavebeenstrange，ifafterpassingsuchgreatdangersinsafety，I
haddiedatlastbythehandofamiserablefoot-padwithinfivemilesofLondontown。
Irodehardallthatdayandthenext，andmyhorsebeingstoutandswift，byhalf-pastseveno’clockoftheeveningIpulledupuponthelittlehillwhenceIhadlookedmylastonBungay，whenIrodethenceforYarmouthwithmyfather。
Belowmelaytheredroofsofthetown；theretotherightweretheoaksofDitchinghamandthebeautifultowerofSt。Mary’sChurch，yonderthestreamofWaveneywandered，andbeforemestretchedthemeadowlands，purpleandgoldenwithmarshweedsinbloom。
Allwasasithadbeen，Icouldseenochangeatall，theonlychangewasinmyself。
Idismounted，andgoingtoapoolofwaterneartheroadwayIlookedatthereflectionofmyownface。
Iwaschangedindeed，scarcelyshouldI
haveknownitforthatoftheladwhohadriddenupthishillsometwentyyearsago。
Now，alas！theeyesweresunkenandverysorrowful，thefeaturesweresharp，andtherewasmoregreythanblackinthebeardandhair。
Ishouldscarcelyhaveknownitmyself，wouldanyothersknowit，Iwondered？
Wouldtherebeanytoknowitindeed？
Intwentyyearsmanydieandotherspassoutofsight；shouldIfindafriendatallamongtheliving？
SinceI
readtheletterswhichCaptainBellofthe’Adventuress’hadbroughtmebeforeIsailedforHispaniola，Ihadheardnotidingsfrommyhome，andwhattidingsawaitedmenow？
AboveallwhatofLily，wasshedeadormarriedorgone？
MountingmyhorseIpushedonagainatacanter，takingtheroadpastWaingfordMillsthroughthefordsandPirnhowtown，leavingBungayuponmyleft。
IntenminutesIwasatthegateofthebridlepaththatrunsfromtheNorwichroadforhalfamileormorebeneaththesteepandwoodedbankundertheshelterofwhichstandstheLodgeatDitchingham。
Bythegateamanloiteredinthelastraysofthesun。
Ilookedathimandknewhim；itwasBillyMinns，thatsamefoolwhohadlooseddeGarciawhenIlefthimboundthatImightruntomeetmysweetheart。
Hewasanoldmannowandhiswhitehairhungabouthiswitheredface，moreoverhewasuncleananddressedinrags，butIcouldhavefallenonhisneckandembracedhim，sorejoicedwasItolookoncemoreononewhomIhadknowninyouth。