OftensincethatdayIhavewonderedifsomevisionofthefutureenteredintothegirl’sbreastinthathour，orifinherwrathshespokeatrandom。
　　IhavewonderedalsowhetherthisscenebetweenherandGuatemochadanythingtodowiththehistoryofherafterlife；ordidMarina，assheavowedtomeindaystocome，bringshameandruinonhercountryfortheloveofCortesalone？
　　Itishardtosay，andperhapsthesethingshadnothingtodowithwhatfollowed，forwhengreateventshavehappened，weareapttosearchoutcausesfortheminthepastthatwerenocause。
　　Thismayhavebeenbutapassingmoodofhersandonesoonputoutofmind，foritiscertainthatfewbuildupthetemplesoftheirlivesuponsomefirmfoundationofhopeorhate，ofdesireordespair，thoughithashappenedtometodoso，butrathertakechancefortheirarchitect——andindeedwhethertheytakehimorno，heisstillthemasterbuilder。
　　StillthatMarinadidnotforgetthistalkIknow，forinaftertimesIheardherremindthisveryprinceofthewordsthathadpassedbetweenthem，ay，andheardhisnobleanswertoher。
　　NowIhavebutonemorethingtotellofmystayinTobasco，andthenletmeontoMexico，andtothetaleofhowMontezuma’sdaughterbecamemywife，andofmyfurtherdealingswithdeGarcia。
　　Onthedayofourdepartureagreatsacrificeofslaveswasheldupontheteocallitopropitiatethegods，sothattheymightgiveusasafejourney，andalsoinhonourofsomefestival，fortothefestivalsoftheIndianstherewasnoend。
　　Thitherwewentupthesidesofthesteeppyramid，sinceImustlookuponthesehorrorsdaily。
　　Whenallwasprepared，andwestoodaroundthestoneofsacrificewhilethemultitudewatchedbelow，thatfiercepabawhooncehadfeltthebeatingsofmyheart，cameforthfromthesanctuaryofthegodQuetzalandsignedtohiscompanionstostretchthefirstofthevictimsonthestone。
　　ThenofasuddentheprinceGuatemocsteppedforward，andaddressingthepriests，pointedtotheirchief，andsaid:
　　’Seizethatman！’
　　Theyhesitated，forthoughhewhocommandedwasaprinceofthebloodroyal，tolayhandsuponahighpriestwassacrilege。
　　ThenwithasmileGuatemocdrewfortharinghavingadullbluestonesetinitsbezel，onwhichwasengravedastrangedevice。
　　Withtheringhedrewoutalsoascrollofpicture-writing，andheldthembothbeforetheeyesofthepabas。
　　NowtheringwastheringofMontezuma，andthescrollwassignedbythegreathighpriestofTenoctitlan，andthosewholookedontheringandthescrollknewwellthattodisobeythemandateofhimwhoborethemwasdeathanddishonourinone。
　　Sowithoutmoreadotheyseizedtheirchiefandheldhim。
　　ThenGuatemocspokeagainandshortly:
　　’LayhimonthestoneandsacrificehimtothegodQuetzal。’
　　Nowhewhohadtakensuchfiercejoyinthedeathofothersonthissamestone，begantotrembleandweep，forhedidnotdesiretodrinkofhisownmedicine。
　　’WhymustIbeofferedup，Oprince？’hecried，’IwhohavebeenafaithfulservanttothegodsandtotheEmperor。’
　　’BecauseyoudaredtotrytoofferupthisTeule，’answeredGuatemoc，pointingtome，’withoutleavefromyourmasterMontezuma，andbecauseoftheotherevilsthatyouhavedone，allofwhicharewritteninthisscroll。
　　TheTeuleisasonofQuetzal，asyouhaveyourselfdeclared，andQuetzalwillbeavengedbecauseofhisson。
　　Awaywithhim，hereisyourwarrant。’
　　Thenthepriests，whotillthismomenthadbeenhisservants，draggedtheirchieftothestone，andthere，notwithstandinghisprayersandbellowings，onewhohaddonnedhismantlepractisedhisownartuponhim，andpresentlyhisbodywascastdownthesideofthepyramid。
　　FormypartIamnotsufficientofaChristiantopretendthatIwassorrytoseehimdieinthatsamefashionbywhichhehadcausedthedeathofsomanybettermen。
　　WhenitwasdoneGuatemocturnedtomeandsaid，’Soperishallyourenemies，myfriendTeule。’
　　Withinanhourofthisevent，whichrevealedtomehowgreatwasthepowerofMontezuma，seeingthatthesightofaringfromhisfingercouldbringabouttheinstantdeathofahighpriestatthehandsofhisdisciples，westartedonourlongjourney。
　　ButbeforeIwentIbidawarmfarewelltomyfriendthecacique，andalsotoMarina，whoweptatmygoing。
　　ThecaciqueIneversawagain，butMarinaIdidsee。
　　Forawholemonthwetravelled，forthewaywasfarandtheroadrough，andsometimeswemustcutourpaththroughforestsandsometimeswemustwaituponthebanksofrivers。
　　ManywerethestrangesightsthatIsawuponthatjourney，andmanythecitiesinwhichwesojournedinmuchstateandhonour，butIcannotstoptotellofallthese。
　　OnethingIwillrelate，however，thoughbriefly，becauseitchangedtheregardthattheprinceGuatemocandIfeltonetotheotherintoafriendshipwhichlastedtillhisdeath，andindeedenduresinmyhearttothishour。
　　Onedayweweredelayedbythebanksofaswollenriver，andinpastimewentouttohuntfordeer。
　　Whenwehadhuntedawhileandkilledthreedeer，itchancedthatGuatemocperceivedabuckstandingonahillock，andwesetouttostalkit，fiveofusinall。
　　Butthebuckwasintheopen，andthetreesandbushceasedafullhundredyardsawayfromwherehestood，sothattherewasnowaybywhichwemightdrawneartohim。
　　ThenGuatemocbegantomockme，saying，’Now，Teule，theytelltalesofyourarchery，andthisdeeristhriceasfarasweAztecscanmakesureofkilling。
　　Letusseeyourskill。’
　　’Iwilltry，’Ianswered，’thoughtheshotislong。’
　　Sowedrewbeneaththecoverofaceibatree，ofwhichthelowestbranchesdroopedtowithinfifteenfeetoftheground，andhavingsetanarrowonthestringofthegreatbowthatIhadfashionedaftertheshapeofthoseweuseinmerryEngland，Iaimedanddrewit。
　　Straightspedthearrowandstruckthebuckfair，passingthroughitsheart，andalowmurmurofwondermentwentupfromthosewhosawthefeat。
　　Then，justaswepreparedtogotothefallendeer，amalepuma，whichisnothingbutacat，thoughfiftytimesasbig，thathadbeenwatchingthebuckfromabove，droppeddownfromtheboughsoftheceibatreefullontotheshouldersoftheprinceGuatemoc，fellinghimtotheground，wherehelayfacedownwardswhilethefiercebruteclawedandbitathisback。
　　IndeedhaditnotbeenforhisgoldencuirassandhelmGuatemocwouldneverhavelivedtobeemperorofAnahuac，andperhapsitmighthavebeenbetterso。
　　Nowwhentheysawthepumasnarlingandtearingatthepersonoftheirprince，thoughbravemenenough，thethreenobleswhowerewithuswereseizedbysuddenpanicandran，thinkinghimdead。
　　ButIdidnotrun，thoughIshouldhavebeengladenoughtodoso。
　　AtmysidehungoneoftheIndianweaponsthatservetheminsteadofswords，aclubofwoodsetonbothsideswithspikesofobsidian，liketheteethinthebillofaswordfish。
　　SnatchingitfromitsloopIgavethepumabattle，strikingablowuponhisheadthatrolledhimoverandcausedthebloodtopour。
　　Inamomenthewasupandatmeroaringwithrage。
　　WhirlingthewoodenswordwithbothhandsIsmotehiminmidair，theblowpassingbetweenhisopenpawsandcatchinghimfullonthesnoutandhead。
　　Sohardwasthisstrokethatmyweaponwasshattered，stillitdidnotstopthepuma。
　　InasecondIwascasttotheearthwithagreatshock，andthebrutewasonmetearingandbitingatmychestandneck。
　　ItwaswellformeatthatmomentthatIworeagarmentofquiltedcotton，otherwiseImusthavebeenrippedopen，andevenwiththiscoveringIwassadlytorn，andtothisdayIbearthemarksofthebeast’sclawsuponmybody。
　　ButnowwhenIseemedtobelostthegreatblowthatIhadstrucktookeffectonhim，foroneofthepointsofglasshadpiercedtohisbrain。
　　Heliftedhishead，hisclawscontractedthemselvesinmyflesh，thenhehowledlikeadoginpainandfelldeaduponmybody。
　　SoIlayuponthegroundunabletostir，forIwasmuchhurt，untilmycompanions，havingtakenheart，camebackandpulledthepumaoffme。
　　BythistimeGuatemoc，whosawall，buttillnowwasunabletomovefromlackofbreath，hadfoundhisfeetagain。
　　’Teule，’hegasped，’youareabravemanindeed，andifyouliveI
　　swearthatIwillalwaysstandyourfriendtothedeathasyouhavestoodmine。’
　　Thushespoketome；buttotheothershesaidnothing，castingnoreproachesatthem。
　　ThenIfaintedaway。
　　NowforaweekIwassoillfrommywoundsthatIwasunabletobemoved，andthenImustbecarriedinalittertillwecametowithinthreedays’journeyofthecityofTenoctitlanorMexico。
　　Afterthat，astheroadswerenowbettermadeandcaredforthananyIhaveseeninEngland，Iwasabletotaketomyfeetagain。
　　OfthisIwasglad，forIhavenoloveofbeingborneontheshouldersofothermenafterthewomanishIndianfashion，and，moreover，aswehadnowcometoacoldcountry，theroadrunningthroughvasttable-landsandacrossthetopsofmountains，itwasnolongernecessaryasithadbeeninthehotlands。
　　NeverdidI
　　seeanythingmoredrearythantheseimmenselengthsofdesolateplainscoveredwithaloesandotherthornyandsucculentshrubsoffantasticaspect，whichalonecouldliveonthesandyandwaterlesssoil。
　　Thisisastrangeland，thatcanboastthreeseparateclimateswithinitsborders，andisabletoshowallthegloriesofthetropicssidebysidewithdesertsofmeasurelessexpanse。
　　Onenightwecampedinaresthouse，ofwhichthereweremanybuiltalongtheroadsfortheuseoftravellers，thatwasplacedalmostonthetopofthesierraormountainrangewhichsurroundsthevalleyofTenoctitlan。
　　Nextmorningwetooktheroadagainbeforedawn，forthecoldwassosharpatthisgreatheightthatwe，whohadtravelledfromthehotland，couldsleepverylittle，andalsoGuatemocdesiredifitwerepossibletoreachthecitythatnight。
　　Whenwehadgoneafewhundredpacesthepathcametothecrestofthemountainrange，andIhaltedsuddenlyinwonderandadmiration。
　　Belowmelayavastbowloflandandwater，ofwhich，however，I
　　couldseenothing，fortheshadowsofthenightstillfilledit。
　　Butbeforeme，piercingtheveryclouds，toweredthecrestsoftwosnow-cladmountains，andonthesethelightoftheunrisensunplayed，alreadychangingtheirwhitenesstothestainofblood。
　　Popo，ortheHillthatSmokes，isthenameoftheone，andIxtac，ortheSleepingWoman，thatoftheother，andnograndersightwaseverofferedtotheeyesofmanthantheyfurnishedinthathourbeforethedawn。
　　FromtheloftysummitofPopowentupgreatcolumnsofsmokewhich，whatwiththefireintheirheartandthecrimsonofthesunrise，lookedlikerollingpillarsofflame。
　　Andforthegloryoftheglitteringslopesbelow，thatchangedcontinuallyfromthemysteryofwhitetodullred，fromredtocrimson，andfromcrimsontoeverydazzlinghuethattherainbowholds，whocantellit，whocanevenimagineit？
　　None，indeed，exceptthosethathaveseenthesunriseoverthevolcansofTenoctitlan。
　　WhenIhadfeastedmyeyesonPopoIturnedtoIxtac。
　　Sheisnotsoloftyasher’husband，’forsotheAztecsnamethevolcanPopo，andwhenfirstIlookedIcouldseenothingbutthegiganticshapeofawomanfashionedinsnow，andlyinglikeacorpseuponherloftybier，whosehairstreameddownthemountainside。
　　Butnowthesunbeamscaughtheralso，andsheseemedtostartoutinmajestyfromaveilofrosymist，awonderfulandthrillingsight。
　　Butbeautifulasshewasthen，stillIlovetheSleepingWomanbestateve。
　　Thensheliesashapeofgloryontheblacknessbeneath，andisslowlyswallowedupintothesolemnnightasthedarkdrawsitsveilacrossher。
　　NowasIgazedthelightbegantocreepdownthesidesofthevolcans，revealingtheforestsontheirflanks。
　　Butstillthevastvalleywasfilledwithmistthatlayindensebillowsresemblingthoseofthesea，throughwhichhillsandtempletopsstarteduplikeislands。
　　Byslowdegreesaswepasseduponourdownwardroadthevapoursclearedaway，andthelakesofTezcuco，Chalco，andXochicalcoshoneinthesunlightlikegiantmirrors。
　　Ontheirbanksstoodmanycities，indeedthegreatestofthese，Mexico，seemedtofloatuponthewaters；beyondthemandaboutthemweregreenfieldsofcornandaloe，andgrovesofforesttrees，whilefarawaytoweredtheblackwallofrockthathedgesinthevalley。
　　Alldaywejourneyedswiftlythroughthisfairyland。
　　WepassedthroughthecitiesofAmaquemandAjotzinco，whichIwillnotstaytodescribe，andmanyalovelyvillagethatnestleduponthebordersofLakeChalco。