watched，rubbingitwithhislongandmattedlocks。
　　ThisdoneheheldittomylipsthatImightbreatheonit，andIturnedfaintandsick，forIknewthatitwasbeingmadereadytoreceivetheheartwhichIfeltbeatinginmybreast。
　　NowwhatfurtherceremoniesweretobecarriedoutinthisunholyplaceIdonotknow，foratthatmomentagreattumultaroseinthesquarebeneath，andIwashurriedfromthesanctuarybythepriests。
　　ThenIperceivedthis:galledtomadnessbythestormofmissilesraineduponthemfromitscrest，theSpaniardswereattackingtheteocalli。
　　Alreadytheywerepouringacrossthecourtyardinlargecompanies，ledbyCorteshimself，andwiththemcamemanyhundredsoftheiralliestheTlascalans。
　　OntheotherhandsomethousandsoftheAztecswererushingtothefootofthefirststairwaytogivethewhitemenbattlethere。
　　Fiveminutespassedandthefightgrewfierce。
　　Againandagain，coveredbythefireofthearquebusiers，theSpaniardschargedtheAztecs，buttheirhorsesslippinguponthestonepavement，atlengththeydismountedandcontinuedthefrayonfoot。
　　SlowlyandwithgreatslaughtertheIndianswerepushedbackandtheSpaniardsgainedafootingonthefirststairway。
　　Buthundredsofwarriorsstillcrowdedtheloftywindingroad，andhundredsmoreheldthetop，anditwasplainthatiftheSpaniardswonthroughatall，thetaskwouldbeahardone。
　　StillafiercehopesmotemelikeablowwhenIsawwhatwastoward。
　　IftheSpaniardstookthetempletherewouldbenosacrifice。
　　Nosacrificecouldbeofferedtillmidday，soOtomiehadtoldme，andthatwasnotforhardupontwohours。
　　Itcametothisthen，iftheSpaniardswerevictoriouswithintwohours，therewasachanceoflifeforme，ifnotImustdie。
　　NowwhenIwasledoutofthesanctuaryofTezcat，IwonderedbecausetheprincessOtomie，orratherthegoddessAtlaasshewasthencalled，wasstandingamongthechiefpriestsanddisputingwiththem，forIhadseenherbowherheadatthedooroftheholyplace，andthoughtthatitwasintokenoffarewell，seeingthatshewasthelastofthefourwomentoleaveme。
　　OfwhatshedisputedIcouldnothearbecauseofthedinofbattle，buttheargumentwaskeenanditseemedtomethatthepriestsweresomewhatdismayedatherwords，andyethadafiercejoyinthem。
　　Itappearedalsothatshewonhercause，forpresentlytheybowedinobeisancetoher，andturningslowlysheswepttomysidewithapeculiarmajestyofgaitthateventhenInoted。
　　Glancingupatherfacealso，Isawthatitwasalightasthoughwithagreatandholypurpose，andmoreoverthatshelookedlikesomehappybridepassingtoherhusband’sarms。
　　’Whyareyounotgone，Otomie？’Isaid。
　　’Nowitistoolate。
　　TheSpaniardssurroundtheteocalliandyouwillbekilledortakenprisoner。’
　　’Iawaittheendwhateveritmaybe，’sheansweredbriefly，andwespokenomoreforawhile，butwatchedtheprogressofthefray，whichwasfierceindeed。
　　GrimlytheAztecwarriorsfoughtbeforethesymbolsoftheirgods，andinthesightofthevastconcourseofthepeoplewhocrowdedthesquarebeneathandstaredatthestruggleinsilence。
　　TheyhurledthemselvesupontheSpanishswords，theygrippedtheSpaniardswiththeirhandsandscreamingwithragedraggedthemtothesteepsidesoftheroadway，purposingtocastthemover。
　　Sometimestheysucceeded，andaballofmenclingingtogetherwouldrolldowntheslopeandbedashedtopiecesonthestoneflooringofthecourtyard，aSpaniardbeinginthecentreoftheball。
　　Butdowhattheywould，likesomevastandwrithingsnake，stillthelongarrayofTeulescladintheirglitteringmailplougheditswayupwardthroughthestormofspearsandarrows。
　　Minutebyminuteandstepbysteptheycrepton，fightingasmenfightwhoknowthefatethatawaitsthedesecratorsofthegodsofAnahuac，fightingforlife，andhonour，andsafetyfromthestoneofsacrifice。
　　Thusanhourwentby，andtheSpaniardswerehalfwayupthepyramid。
　　Louderandloudergrewthefearfulsoundsofbattle，theSpaniardscheeredandcalledontheirpatronsaintstoaidthem，theAztecsyelledlikewildbeasts，thepriestsscreamedinvocationstotheirgodsandcriesofencouragementtothewarriors，whileaboveallrosetherattleofthearquebusses，theroarofthecannon，andthefearfulnoteofthegreatdrumofsnake’sskinonwhichahalf-nakedpriestbeatmadly。
　　Onlythemultitudesbelownevermoved，norshouted。
　　Theystoodsilentgazingupward，andIcouldseethesunlightflashonthethousandsoftheirstaringeyes。
　　NowallthiswhileIwasstandingnearthestoneofsacrificewithOtomieatmyside。
　　Roundmewerearingofpriests，andoverthestonewasfixedasquareofblackclothsupporteduponfourpoles，whichweresetinsocketsinthepavement。
　　Inthecentreofthisblackclothwassewnagoldenfunnelmeasuringsixinchesorsoacrossatitsmouth，andthesunbeamspassingthroughthisfunnelfellinabrightpatch，thesizeofanapple，uponthespaceofpavementthatwasshadedbythecloth。
　　Asthesunmovedintheheavens，sodidthisringoflightcreepacrosstheshadowtillatlengthitclimbedthestoneofsacrificeandlayuponitsedge。
　　Thenatasignfromtheheadpriest，hisministerslaidholdofmeandpluckedwhatwereleftofmyfineclothesfrommeascruelboyspluckalivingbird，tillIstoodnakedexceptforthepaintuponmybodyandaclothaboutmyloins。
　　NowIknewthatmyhourhadcome，andstrangetotell，forthefirsttimethisdaycourageenteredintome，andIrejoicedtothinkthatsoonIshouldhavedonewithmytormentors。
　　TurningtoOtomieIbegantobidherfarewellinaclearvoice，whentomyamazeIsawthatasIhadbeenservedsoshewasbeingserved，forhersplendidrobesweretornoffherandshestoodbeforemearrayedinnothingexceptherbeauty，herflowinghair，andabroideredcottonsmock。
　　’Donotwonder，Teule，’shesaidinalowvoice，answeringthequestionmytonguerefusedtoframe，’Iamyourwifeandyonderisourmarriagebed，thefirstandlast。
　　Thoughyoudonotloveme，to-dayIdieyourdeathandatyourside，asIhavetherighttodo。
　　Icouldnotsaveyou，Teule，butatleastIcandiewithyou。’
　　AtthemomentImadenoanswer，forIwasstrickensilentbymywonder，andbeforeIcouldfindmytonguethepriestshadcastmedown，andforthesecondtimeIlayuponthestoneofdoom。
　　Astheyheldmeayellfiercerandlongerthananywhichhadgonebefore，toldthattheSpaniardshadgotfootuponthelaststairoftheascent。
　　Scarcelyhadmybodybeensetuponthecentreofthegreatstone，whenthatofOtomiewaslaidbesideit，soclosethatoursidestouched，forImustlieinthemiddleofthestoneandtherewasnogreatplaceforher。
　　Thenthemomentofsacrificenotbeingcome，thepriestsmadeusfastwithcordswhichtheyknottedtocopperringsinthepavement，andturnedtowatchtheprogressofthefray。
　　Forsomeminuteswelaythussidebyside，andaswelayagreatwonderandgratitudegrewinmyheart，wonderthatawomancouldbesobrave，gratitudefortheloveshegaveme，sealingitwithherlife-blood。
　　BecauseOtomielovedmeshehadchosenthisfearfuldeath，becauseshelovedmesowellthatshedesiredtodiethusatmysideratherthantoliveoningreatnessandhonourwithoutme。
　　Ofasudden，inamomentwhileIthoughtofthismarvel，anewlightshoneuponmyheartanditwaschangedtowardsher。
　　Ifeltthatnowomancouldeverbesodeartomeasthisgloriouswoman，no，notevenmybetrothed。
　　Ifelt——nay，whocansaywhatIdidfeel？
　　ButIknowthis，thatthetearsrushedtomyeyesandrandownmypaintedface，andIturnedmyheadtolookather。
　　Shewaslyingasmuchuponherleftsideasherhandswouldallow，herlonghairfellfromthestonetothepavingwhereitlayinmasses，andherfacewastowardsme。
　　Soclosewasitindeedthattherewasnotaninchbetweenourlips。
　　’Otomie，’Iwhispered，’listentome。
　　Iloveyou，Otomie。’
　　NowI
　　sawherbreastheavebeneaththebandsandthecolourcomeuponherbrow。
　　’ThenIamrepaid，’sheanswered，andourlipsclungtogetherinakiss，thefirst，andaswethoughtthelast。
　　Yes，therewekissed，onthestoneofsacrifice，beneaththeknifeofthepriestandtheshadowofdeath，andiftherehasbeenastrangerlovesceneintheworld，Ihaveneverhearditsstory。
　　’Oh！Iamrepaid，’shesaidagain；’Iwouldgladlydieascoreofdeathstowinthismoment，indeedIpraythatImaydiebeforeyoutakebackyourwords。
　　For，Teule，IknowwellthatthereisonewhoisdearertoyouthanIam，butnowyourheartissoftenedbythefaithfulnessofanIndiangirl，andyouthinkthatyouloveher。
　　Letmediethenbelievingthatthedreamistrue。’
　　’Talknotso，’Iansweredheavily，forevenatthatmomentthememoryofLilycameintomymind。
　　’YougiveyourlifeformeandI
　　loveyouforit。’
　　’Mylifeisnothingandyourloveismuch，’sheansweredsmiling。
　　’Ah！Teule，whatmagichaveyouthatyoucanbringme，Montezuma’sdaughter，tothealtarofthegodsandofmyownfreewill？
　　Well，Idesirenosofterbed，andforthewhyandwhereforeitwillsoonbeknownbybothofus，andwithitmanyotherthings。’
　　CHAPTERXXII
　　THETRIUMPHOFTHECROSS
　　’Otomie，’Isaidpresently，’whenwilltheykillus？’
　　’Whenthepointoflightlieswithintheringthatispaintedoveryourheart，’sheanswered。
　　NowIturnedmyheadfromher，andlookedatthesunbeamwhichpiercedtheshadowaboveuslikeagoldenpencil。
　　Itrestedatmysideaboutsixinchesfromme，andIreckonedthatitwouldlieinthescarletringpainteduponmybreastwithinsomefifteenminutes。
　　Meanwhiletheclamourofbattlegrewlouderandnearer。
　　Shiftingmyselfsofarasthecordswouldallow，IstrainedmyheadupwardsandsawthattheSpaniardshadgainedthecrestofthepyramid，sincethebattlenowrageduponitsedge，andIhaverarelyseensoterribleafight，fortheAztecsfoughtwiththefuryofdespair，thinkinglittleoftheirownlivesiftheycouldonlybringaSpaniardtohisdeath。
　　Butforthemostparttheirrudeweaponswouldnotpiercethecoatsofmail，sothatthereremainedonlyonewaytocompasstheirdesire，namely，bycastingthewhitemenovertheedgeoftheteocallitobecrushedlikeeggshellsuponthepavementtwohundredfeetbelow。
　　Thusthefraybrokeitselfupintogroupsoffoeswhorentandtoreateachotheruponthebrinkofthepyramid，nowandagaintovanishdownitsside，tenortwelveofthemtogether。
　　Someofthepriestsalsojoinedinthefight，thinkinglessoftheirowndeathsthanofthedesecrationoftheirtemples，forIsawoneofthem，amanofhugestrengthandstature，seizeaSpanishsoldierroundthemiddleandleapwithhimintospace。
　　Still，thoughveryslowly，theSpaniardsandTlascalansforcedtheirwaytowardsthecentreoftheplatform，andastheycamethedangerofthisdreadfulendgrewless，fortheAztecsmustdragthemfurther。
　　Nowthefightdrewneartothestoneofsacrifice，andallwhoremainedaliveoftheAztecs，perhapssometwohundredandfiftyofthem，besidesthepriests，ringedthemselvesroundusanditinacircle。
　　Alsotheouterrimofthesunbeamthatfellthroughthegoldenfunnel，creepingonremorselessly，touchedmypaintedsidewhichitseemedtoburnashotironmight，foralas，Icouldnotcommandthesuntostandstillwhilethebattleraged，asdidJoshuainthevalleyofAjalon。
　　Whenittouchedme，fivepriestsseizedmylimbsandhead，andthefatherofthem，hewhohadconductedmefromthepalace，claspedhisflintknifeinbothhands。
　　NowadeathlysicknesstookmeandIshutmyeyesdreamingthatallwasdone，butatthatmomentIheardawild-eyedman，thechiefoftheastronomerswhomIhadnotedstandingby，callouttotheministerofdeath:
　　’Notyet，OpriestofTezeat！
　　Ifyousmitebeforethesunbeamliesuponthevictim’sheart，yourgodsaredoomedanddoomedarethepeopleofAnahuac。’
　　Thepriestgnashedhisteethwithrage，andglaredfirstatthecreepingpointoflightandthenoverhisshoulderattheadvancingbattle。
　　Slowlytheringofwarriorsclosedinuponus，slowlythegoldenraycreptupmybreasttillitsouterrimtouchedtheredcirclepainteduponmyheart。
　　Againthepriestheaveduphisawfulknife，againIshutmyeyes，andagainIheardtheshrillscreamoftheastronomer，’Notyet，notyet，oryourgodsaredoomed！’
　　ThenIheardanothersound。