’Your pardon, my uncle, but before you speak I have a word to say.  You need my services, do you not? for if the people of the Otomie will listen to any and suffer themselves to be led from their evil path, it is to me.  My mother was by birth their chieftainess, the last of a long line, and I am her only child, moreover my father is their emperor.  Therefore my life is of no small worth now in this time of trouble, for though I am nothing in myself, yet it may chance that I can bring thirty thousand warriors to your standard.  The priests knew this on yonder pyramid, and when I claimed my right to lie at the side of the Teule, they gainsayed me, nor would they suffer it, though they hungered for the royal blood, till I called down the vengeance of the gods upon them.  Now my uncle, and you, lords, I tell you this:  Slay yonder man if you will, but know that then you must find another than me to lure the Otomie from their rebellion, for then I complete what I began to-day, and follow him to the grave.’

She ceased and a murmur of amazement went round the chamber, for none had looked to find such love and courage in this lady’s heart.  Only Cuitlahua grew angry.

‘Disloyal girl,’ he said; ’do you dare to set your lover before your country?  Shame upon you, shameless daughter of our king.  Why, it is in the blood—­as the father is so is the daughter.  Did not Montezuma forsake his people and choose to lie among these Teules, the false children of Quetzal?  And now this Otomie follows in his path.  Tell us how is it, woman, that you and your lover alone escaped from the teocalli yonder when all the rest were killed.  Are you then in league with these Teules?  I say to you, niece, that if things were otherwise and I had my way, you should win your desire indeed, for you should be slain at this man’s side and within the hour.’  And he ceased for lack of breath, and looked upon her fiercely.

But Otomie never quailed; she stood before him pale and quiet, with folded hands and downcast eyes, and answered: 

’Forbear to reproach me because my love is strong, or reproach me if you will, I have spoken my last word.  Condemn this man to die and Prince you must seek some other envoy to win back the Otomie to the cause of Anahuac.’

Now Cuitlahua pondered, staring into the gloom above him and pulling at his beard, and the silence was great, for none knew what his judgment would be.  At last he spoke: 

’So be it.  We have need of Otomie, my niece, and it is of no avail to fight against a woman’s love.  Teule, we give you life, and with the life honour and wealth, and the greatest of our women in marriage, and a place in our councils.  Take these gifts and her, but I say to you both, beware how you use them.  If you betray us, nay, if you do but think on treachery, I swear to you that you shall die a death so slow and horrible that the very name of it would turn your heart to water; you and your wife, your children and your servants.  Come, let him be sworn!’