Nothingcanmakemanlookondeathlovingly，andthatawaitingmewasonefromwhichthebravestwouldshrink，yetIfeltthatOtomiehadspokentruth，andthat，terribleasitseemed，itmightprovelessterriblethanlifehadshewnitselftobe。
　　Anunnaturalcalmfelluponmysoullikesomedensemistuponthefaceoftheocean。
　　Beneaththatmistthewatersmightfoam，aboveitthesunmightshine，yetaroundwasonegreypeace。
　　InthishourIseemedtostandoutsideofmyearthlyself，andtolookonallthingswithanewsense。
　　Thetideoflifewasebbingawayfromme，theshoreofdeathloomedverynear，andI
　　understoodthen，asinextremeoldageIunderstandto-day，howmuchmorepartwemortalshaveindeaththaninthisshortaccidentoflife。
　　Icouldconsiderallmypast，Icouldwonderonthefutureofmyspirit，andevenmarvelatthegentlenessandwisdomoftheIndianwoman，whowasabletothinksuchthoughtsandutterthem。
　　Well，whateverbefell，inonethingIwouldnotdisappointher，I
　　woulddiebravelyasanEnglishmanshoulddo，leavingtheresttoGod。
　　Thesebarbariansshouldneversayofmethattheforeignerwasacoward。
　　WhowasIthatIshouldcomplain？
　　DidnothundredsofmenasgoodasIwasperishdailyinyondersquare，andwithoutamurmur？
　　Hadnotmymotherdiedalsoatthehandofamurderer？
　　Wasnotthatunhappylady，IsabelladeSiguenza，walledupalivebecauseshehadbeenmadenoughtoloveavillainwhobetrayedher？
　　Theworldisfullofterrorsandsorrowssuchasmine，whowasI
　　thatIshouldcomplain？
　　SoImusedontillatlengththedaydawned，andwiththerisingsunrosetheclamourofmenmakingreadyforbattle。
　　Fornowthefightragedfromdaytoday，andthiswastobeoneofthemostterrible。
　　ButIthoughtlittlethenofthewarbetweentheAztecsandtheSpaniards，whomustpreparemyselfforthestruggleofmyowndeaththatwasnowathand。
　　CHAPTERXXI
　　THEKISSOFLOVE
　　Presentlytherewasasoundofmusic，and，accompaniedbycertainartists，mypagesentered，bearingwiththemapparelmoregorgeousthananythatIhadwornhitherto。
　　First，thesepageshavingstrippedmeofmyrobes，theartistspaintedallmybodyinhideousdesignsofred，andwhite，andblue，tillIresembledaflag，notevensparingmyfaceandlips，whichtheycolouredwithcarminehues。
　　Overmyheartalsotheydrewascarletringwithmuchcareandmeasurement。
　　Thentheydidupmyhairthatnowhunguponmyshoulders，afterthefashioninwhichitwaswornbygeneralsamongtheIndians，tyingitonthetopofmyheadwithanembroideredribbonredincolour，andplacedaplumeofcock’sfeathersaboveit。
　　Next，havingarrayedmybodyingorgeousvestmentsnotunlikethoseusedbypopishpriestsatthecelebrationofthemass，theysetgoldenearringsinmyears，goldenbraceletsonmywristsandankles，androundmyneckacollarofpricelessemeralds。
　　Onmybreastalsotheyhungagreatgemthatgleamedlikemoonlitwater，andbeneathmychinafalsebeardmadefrompinkseashells。
　　ThenhavingtwinedmeroundwithwreathsofflowerstillIthoughtofthemaypoleonBungayCommon，theyrestedfromtheirlabours，filledwithadmirationattheirhandiwork。
　　Nowthemusicsoundedagainandtheygavemetwolutes，oneofwhichImustholdineitherhand，andconductedmetothegreathallofthepalace。
　　Hereanumberofpeopleofrankweregathered，alldressedinfestalattire，andherealsoonadaistowhichI
　　wasled，stoodmyfourwivescladintherichdressesofthefourgoddessesXochi，Xilo，Atla，andClixto，afterwhomtheywerenamedforthedaysoftheirwifehood，AtlabeingtheprincessOtomie。
　　WhenIhadtakenmyplaceuponthedais，mywivescameforwardonebyone，andkissingmeonthebrow，offeredmesweetmeatsandmealcakesingoldenplatters，andcocoaandmescalingoldencups。
　　OfthemescalIdrank，foritisaspiritandIneededinwardcomfort，buttheotherdaintiesIcouldnottouch。
　　Theseceremoniesbeingfinished，therewassilenceforawhile，tillpresentlyabandoffilthypriestsenteredatthefarendofthechamber，cladintheirscarletsacrificialrobes。
　　Bloodwasonthemeverywhere，theirlonglocksweremattedwithit，theirhandswereredwithit，eventheirfierceeyesseemedfullofit。
　　Theyadvancedupthechambertilltheystoodbeforethedais，thensuddenlytheheadpriestlifteduphishands，cryingaloud:
　　’Adoretheimmortalgod，yepeople，’andallthosegatheredthereprostratedthemselvesshouting:
　　’Weadorethegod。’
　　Thricethepriestcriedaloud，andthricetheyansweredhimthus，prostratingthemselvesateveryanswer。
　　Thentheyroseagain，andthepriestaddressedme，saying:
　　’Forgiveus，OTezcat，thatwecannothonouryouasitismeet，foroursovereignshouldhavebeenheretoworshipyouwithus。
　　Butyouknow，OTezcat，howsoreisthestraitofyourservants，whomustwagewarintheirowncityagainstthosewhoblasphemeyouandyourbrothergods。
　　Youknowthatourbelovedemperorlieswounded，aprisonerintheirunholyhands。
　　Whenwehavegratifiedyourlongingtopassbeyondtheskies，OTezcat，andwheninyourearthlypersonyouhavetaughtusthelessonthathumanprosperityisbutashadowwhichfleesaway；inmemoryofourloveforyouintercedeforus，webeseechyou，thatwemaysmitethesewickedonesandhonouryouandthembytheriteoftheirownsacrifice。
　　O
　　Tezcat，youhavedweltwithusbutalittlewhile，andnowyouwillnotsufferthatweholdyoulongerfromyourglory，foryoureyeshavelongedtoseethishappyday，anditiscomeatlast。
　　Wehavelovedyou，Tezcat，andministeredtoyou，grantinreturnthatwemayseeyouinyoursplendour，wewhoareyourlittlechildren，andtillwecome，watchwelloverourearthlywelfare，andthatofthepeopleamongwhomyouhavedeignedtosojourn。’
　　Havingspokensomesuchwordsasthese，thatattimescouldscarcelybeheardbecauseofthesobbingofthepeople，andofmywiveswhoweptloudly，exceptOtomiealone，thisvillainouspriestmadeasignandoncemorethemusicsounded。
　　Thenheandhisbandplacedthemselvesaboutme，mywivesthegoddessesgoingbeforeandafter，andledmedownthehallandontothegatewaysofthepalace，whichwerethrownwideforustopass。
　　Lookingroundmewithastonywonder，forinthismylasthournothingseemedtoescapemynotice，Isawthatastrangeplaywasbeingplayedaboutus。
　　SomehundredsofpacesawaytheattackonthepalaceofAxa，wheretheSpaniardswereentrenched，ragedwithfury。
　　BandsofwarriorswereattemptingtoscalethewallsandbeingdrivenbackbythedeadlyfireoftheSpaniardsandthepikesandclubsoftheirTlascalanallies，whilefromtheroofsofsuchoftheneighbouringhousesasremainedunburned，andmoreespeciallyfromtheplatformofthegreatteocalli，onwhichImustpresentlygiveuptheghost，arrows，javelins，andstoneswerepouredbythousandsintothecourtyardsandouterworksoftheSpanishquarters。
　　Fivehundredyardsawayorso，ragedthisstruggletothedeath，butaboutme，aroundthegatesofMontezuma’spalaceonthehithersideofthesquare，wasadifferentscene。
　　Hereweregatheredavastcrowd，amongthemmanywomenandchildren，waitingtoseemedie。
　　Theycamewithflowersintheirhands，withthesoundofmusicandjoyouscries，andwhentheysawmetheysetupsuchashoutofwelcomethatitalmostdrownedthethunderofthegunsandtheangryroarofbattle。
　　Nowandagainanill-aimedcannonballwouldploughthroughthem，killingsomeandwoundingothers，buttheresttooknoheed，onlycryingthemore，’Welcome，Tezcat，andfarewell。
　　Blessingsonyou，ourdeliverer，welcomeandfarewell！’
　　Wewentslowlythroughthepress，treadingonapathofflowers，tillwecameacrossthecourtyardtothebaseofthepyramid。
　　Hereattheoutergatetherewasahaltbecauseofthemultitudeofthepeople，andwhilewewaitedawarriorthrusthiswaythroughthecrowdandbowedbeforeme。
　　GlancingupIsawthatitwasGuatemoc。
　　’Teule，’hewhisperedtome，’Ileavemychargeyonder，’andhenoddedtowardstheforcewhostrovetobreakawayintothepalaceofAxa，’tobidyoufarewell。
　　Doubtlessweshallmeetagainerelong。
　　Believeme，Teule，IwouldhavehelpedyouifIcould，butitcannotbe。
　　IwishthatImightchangeplaceswithyou。
　　Myfriend，farewell。
　　Twiceyouhavesavedmylife，butyoursIcannotsave。’
　　’Farewell，Guatemoc，’Ianswered’heavenprosperyou，foryouareatrueman。’
　　Thenwepassedon。
　　Atthefootofthepyramidtheprocessionwasformed，andhereoneofmywivesbademeadieuafterweepingonmyneck，thoughIdidnotweeponhers。
　　Nowtheroadtothesummitoftheteocalliwindsroundandroundthepyramid，evermountinghigherasitwinds，andalongthisroadwewentinsolemnstate。
　　Ateachturnwehaltedandanotherwifebademealastgood-bye，oroneofmyinstrumentsofmusic，whichIdidnotgrievetoseethelastof，orsomearticleofmystrangeattire，wastakenfromme。
　　Atlengthafteranhour’smarch，forourprogresswasslow，wereachedtheflattopofthepyramidthatisapproachedbyagreatstair，aspacelargerthantheareaofthechurchyardhereatDitchingham，andunfencedatitsloftyedge。
　　HereonthisdizzyplacestoodthetemplesofHuitzelandofTezcat，soaringstructuresofstoneandwood，withinwhichwereplacedthehorrideffigiesofthegods，anddreadfulchambersstainedwithsacrifice。
　　Here，too，weretheholyfiresthatburnedeternally，thesacrificialstones，theimplementsoftorment，andthehugedrumofsnakes’skin，butfortherestthespotwasbare。
　　Itwasbarebutnotempty，foronthatsideofitwhichlookedtowardstheSpanishquarterswerestationedsomehundredsofmenwhohurledmissilesintotheircampwithoutceasing。
　　Ontheothersidealsoweregatheredaconcourseofpriestsawaitingtheceremonyofmydeath。
　　Belowthegreatsquare，fringedroundwithburnt-outhouses，wascrowdedwiththousandsofpeople，someofthemengagedincombatwiththeSpaniards，butthelargerpartcollectedtheretowitnessmymurder。
　　Nowwereachedthetopofthepyramid，twohoursbeforemidday，fortherewerestillmanyritestobecarriedouterethemomentofsacrifice。
　　FirstIwasledintothesanctuaryofTezcat，thegodwhosenameIbore。
　　Herewashisstatueoridol，fashionedinblackmarbleandcoveredwithgoldenornaments。
　　Inthehandofthisidolwasashieldofburnishedgoldonwhichitsjewelledeyeswerefixed，readingthere，ashispriestsfabled，allthatpassedupontheearthhehadcreated。
　　Beforehimalsowasaplateofgold，whichwithmutteredinvocationstheheadpriestcleansedasI