‘It seems that I must bear too much,’ answered Marina, growing wroth at last, and striving to keep back the tears that started to her eyes.  ’I will away and leave you;’ and she began to roll up her bundle.

‘Forgive her, Marina,’ I said hastily, for the desire to escape grew on me every minute; ‘sorrow has set an edge upon her tongue.’  Then turning to Otomie I added, ’I pray you be more gentle, wife, for my sake if not for your own.  Marina is our only hope.’

’Would that she had left us to die in peace, husband.  Well, so be it, for your sake I will put on these garments of a drab.  But how shall we escape out of this place and the camp?  Will the door be opened to us, and the guards removed, and if we pass them, can you walk, husband?’

‘The doors will not be opened, lady,’ said Marina, ’for those wait without, who will see that they are locked when I have passed them.  But there will be nothing to fear from the guard, trust to me for it.  See, the bars of this window are but of wood, that sword will soon sever them, and if you are seen you must play the part of a drunken soldier being guided to his quarters by a woman.  For the rest I know nothing, save that I run great risk for your sakes, since if it is discovered that I have aided you, then I shall find it hard to soften the rage of Cortes, who, the war being won,’ and she sighed, ’does not need me now so much as once he did.’

‘I can make shift to hop on my right foot,’ I said, ’and for the rest we must trust to fortune.  It can give us no worse gifts than those we have already.’

’So be it, Teule, and now farewell, for I dare stay no longer.  I can do nothing more.  May your good star shine on you and lead you hence in safety; and Teule, if we never meet again, I pray you think of me kindly, for there are many in the world who will do otherwise in the days to come.’

‘Farewell, Marina,’ I said, and she was gone.

We heard the doors close behind her, and the distant voices of those who bore her litter, then all was silence.  Otomie listened at the window for a while, but the guards seemed to be gone, where or why I do not know to this hour, and the only sound was that of distant revelry from the camp.

‘And now to the work,’ I said to Otomie.

’As you wish, husband, but I fear it will be profitless.  I do not trust that woman.  Faithless in all, without doubt she betrays us.  Still at the worst you have the sword, and can use it.’

‘It matters little,’ I answered.  ’Our plight cannot be worse than it is now; life has no greater evils than torment and death, and they are with us already.’