‘I thank you for your kindness, Teule,’ she said smiling sadly, and withdrew making obeisance, looking so stately and so sweet as she went, that again my heart was shaken as though with love.  Now from that night till the dreadful hour of sacrifice, no kiss or tender word passed between me and the princess of the Otomie.  And yet our friendship and affection grew daily, for we talked much together, and I sought to turn her heart to the true King of Heaven.  But this was not easy, for like her father Montezuma, Otomie clung to the gods of her people, though she hated the priests, and save when the victims were the foes of her country, shrank from the rites of human sacrifice, which she said were instituted by the pabas, since in the early days there were no men offered on the altars of the gods, but flowers only.  Daily it grew and ripened till, although I scarcely knew it, at length in my heart, after Lily, I loved her better than anyone on earth.  As for the other women, though they were gentle and beautiful, I soon learned to hate them.  Still I feasted and revelled with them, partly since I must, or bring them to a miserable death because they failed to please me, and partly that I might drown my terrors in drink and pleasure, for let it be remembered that the days left to me on earth were few, and the awful end drew near.

The day following the celebration of my marriage was that of the shameless massacre of six hundred of the Aztec nobles by the order of the hidalgo Alvarado, whom Cortes had left in command of the Spaniards.  For at this time Cortes was absent in the coast lands, whither he had gone to make war on Narvaez, who had been sent to subdue him by his enemy Velasquez, the governor of Cuba.

On this day was celebrated the feast of Huitzel, that was held with sacrifice, songs, and dances in the great court of the temple, that court which was surrounded by a wall carved over with the writhing shapes of snakes.  It chanced that on this morning before he went to join in the festival, Guatemoc, the prince, came to see me on a visit of ceremony.

I asked him if he intended to take part in the feast, as the splendour of his apparel brought me to believe.

‘Yes,’ he answered, ‘but why do you ask?’

’Because, were I you, Guatemoc, I would not go.  Say now, will the dancers be armed?’

‘No, it is not usual.’

’They will be unarmed, Guatemoc, and they are the flower of the land.  Unarmed they will dance in yonder enclosed space, and the Teules will watch them armed.  Now, how would it be if these chanced to pick a quarrel with the nobles?’

’I do not know why you should speak thus, Teule, for surely these white men are not cowardly murderers, still I take your words as an omen, and though the feast must be held, for see already the nobles gather, I will not share in it.’

‘You are wise, Guatemoc,’ I said.  ‘I am sure that you are wise.’