Butthegodrejectedhiminafatefulhour，andhemustlietherenomore。
　　Slayhimifyouwill，butnotuponthestoneofsacrifice。’
　　’Whatthenshallbedonewithhim？’saidtheprinceagain。
　　’HeisofthebloodoftheTeules，andthereforeanenemy。
　　Onethingiscertain；hemustnotbesufferedtojointhewhitedevilsandgivethemtidingsofourdistresses。
　　Isitnotbestthathebeputawayforthwith？’
　　Nowseveralofthecouncilnoddedtheirheads，butotherssatsilent，makingnosign。
　　’Come，’saidCuitlahua，’wehavenotimetowasteoverthismanwhenthelivesofthousandsarehourlyatstake。
　　Thequestionis，ShalltheTeulebeslain？’
　　ThenGuatemocroseandspoke，saying:’Yourpardon，noblekinsman，butIholdthatwemayputthisprisonertobetterusethantokillhim。
　　Iknowhimwell；heisbraveandloyal，asIhaveproved，moreover，heisnotallaTeule，buthalfofanotherracethathatesthemashehatesthem。
　　Alsohehasknowledgeoftheircustomsandmodeofwarfare，whichwelack，andIthinkthathemaybeabletogiveusgoodcounselinourstrait。’
　　’Thecounselofthewolftothedeerperhaps，’saidCuitlahua，coldly；’counselthatshallleadustothefangsoftheTeules。
　　Whoshallanswerforthisforeigndevil，thathewillnotbetrayusifwetrusthim？’
　　’Iwillanswerwithmylife，’answeredGuatemoc。
　　’Yourlifeisoftoogreatworthtobesetonsuchastake，nephew。
　　Menofthiswhitebreedareliars，andhisownwordisofnovalueevenifhegivesit。
　　Ithinkthatitwillbebesttokillhimandhavedonewithdoubts。’
　　’ThismaniswedtoOtomie，princessoftheOtomie，Montezuma’sdaughter，yourniece，’saidGuatemocagain，’andsheloveshimsowellthatsheofferedherselfuponthestoneofsacrificewithhim。
　　UnlessImistakeshewillanswerforhimalso。
　　Shallshebesummonedbeforeyou？’
　　’Ifyouwish，nephew；butawomaninloveisablindwoman，anddoubtlesshehasdeceivedheralso。
　　Moreover，shewashiswifeaccordingtotheruleofreligiononly。
　　Isityourdesirethattheprincessshouldbesummonedbeforeyou，comrades？’
　　Nowsomesaidnay，butthemost，thosewhoseinterestOtomiehadgained，saidyea，andtheendofitwasthatoneoftheirnumberwassenttosummonher。
　　Presentlyshecame，lookingveryweary，butproudinmienandroyallyattired，andbowedbeforethecouncil。
　　’Thisisthequestion，princess，’saidCuitlahua。
　　’WhetherthisTeuleshallbeslainforthwith，orwhetherheshallbeswornasoneofus，shouldhebewillingtotaketheoath？
　　TheprinceGuatemocherevouchesforhim，andhesays，moreover，thatyouwillvouchforhimalso。
　　Awomancandothisinonewayonly，bytakinghimshevouchesasherhusband。
　　Youarealreadywedt[www.kanbaapp.com]othisforeignerbytheruleofreligion。
　　Areyouwillingtomarryhimaccordingtothecustomofourland，andtoanswerforhisfaithwithyourownlife？’
　　’Iamwilling，’Otomieansweredquietly，’ifheiswilling。’
　　’Intruthitisagreathonourthatyouwoulddothiswhitedog，’
　　saidCuitlahua。
　　’Bethinkyou，youareprincessoftheOtomieandoneofourmaster’sdaughters，itistoyouthatwelooktobringbackthemountainclansoftheOtomie，ofwhomyouarechieftainess，fromtheirunholyalliancewiththeaccursedTlascalans，theslavesoftheTeules。
　　Isnotyourlifetooprecioustobesetonsuchastakeasthisforeigner’sfaith？forlearn，Otomie，ifheprovesfalseyourrankshallnothelpyou。’
　　’Iknowitall，’sherepliedquietly。
　　’Foreignerornot，IlovethismanandIwillanswerforhimwithmyblood。
　　Moreover，IlooktohimtoassistmetowinbackthepeopleoftheOtomietotheirallegiance。
　　Butlethimspeakforhimself，mylord。
　　Itmayhappenthathehasnodesiretotakemeinmarriage。’
　　Cuitlahuasmiledgrimlyandsaid，’Whenthechoiceliesbetweenthebreastofdeathandthosefairarmsofyours，niece，itiseasytoguesshisanswer。
　　Still，speak，Teule，andswiftly。’
　　’Ihavelittletosay，lord。
　　IftheprincessOtomieiswillingtowedme，Iamwillingtowedher，’Ianswered，andthusinthemomentofmydangerallmydoubtsandscruplesvanished。
　　AsCuitlahuahadsaid，itwaseasytoguessthechoiceofonesetbetweendeathandOtomie。
　　Sheheardandlookedatmewarningly，sayinginalowvoice:
　　’Rememberourwords，Teule。
　　Insuchamarriageyourenounceyourpastandgivemeyourfuture。’
　　’Iremember，’Ianswered，andwhileIspoke，therecamebeforemyeyesavisionofLily’sfaceasithadbeenwhenIbadeherfarewell。
　　ThisthenwastheendofthevowsthatIhadsworn。
　　Cuitlahualookedatmewithaglancewhichseemedtosearchmyheartandsaid:
　　’Ihearyourwords，Teule。
　　You，awhitewanderer，aregraciouslywillingtotakethisprincesstowife，andbyhertobeliftedhighamongthegreatlordsofthisland。
　　Butsay，howcanwetrustyou？
　　Ifyoufailusyourwifediesindeed，butthatmaybenaughttoyou。’
　　’Iamreadytoswearallegiance，’Ianswered。
　　’IhatetheSpaniards，andamongthemismybitterestenemywhomIfollowedacrosstheseatokill——themanwhostrovetomurdermethisveryday。
　　Icansaynomore，ifyoudoubtmywordsitwerebesttomakeanendofme。
　　AlreadyIhavesufferedmuchatthehandsofyourpeople；itmatterslittleifIdieorlive。’
　　’Boldlyspoken，Teule。
　　Now，lords，Iaskyourjudgment。
　　ShallthismanbegiventoOtomieashusbandandbeswornasoneofus，orshallhebekilledinstantly？
　　Youknowthematter。
　　Ifhecanbetrusted，asGuatemocandOtomiebelieve，hewillbeworthanarmytous，forheisacquaintedwiththelanguage，thecustoms，theweapons，andthemodesofwarfareofthesewhitedevilswhomthegodshaveletlooseuponus。
　　Ifontheotherhandheisnottobetrusted，anditishardforustoputfaithinoneofhisblood，hemaydousmuchinjury，forintheendhewillescapetotheTeules，andbetrayourcounselsandourstrength，orthelackofit。
　　Itisforyoutojudge，lords。’
　　Nowthecouncillorsconsultedtogether，andsomesaidonethingandsomeanother，fortheywerenotbyanymeansofamindinthematter。
　　Atlengthgrowingweary，Cuitlahuacalledonthemtoputthequestiontothevote，andthistheydidbyaliftingofhands。
　　Firstthosewhowereinfavourofmydeathhelduptheirhands，thenthosewhothoughtthatitwouldbewisetospareme。
　　Thereweretwenty-sixcouncillorspresent，notcountingCuitlahua，andofthesethirteenvotedformyexecutionandthirteenwereforsavingmealive。
　　’NowitseemsthatImustgiveacastingvote，’saidCuitlahuawhenthetalehadbeenrendered，andmybloodturnedcoldathiswords，forIhadseenthathismindwassetagainstme。
　　ThenitwasthatOtomiebrokein，saying:
　　’Yourpardon，myuncle，butbeforeyouspeakIhaveawordtosay。
　　Youneedmyservices，doyounot？forifthepeopleoftheOtomiewilllistentoanyandsufferthemselvestobeledfromtheirevilpath，itistome。
　　Mymotherwasbybirththeirchieftainess，thelastofalongline，andIamheronlychild，moreovermyfatheristheiremperor。
　　Thereforemylifeisofnosmallworthnowinthistimeoftrouble，forthoughIamnothinginmyself，yetitmaychancethatIcanbringthirtythousandwarriorstoyourstandard。
　　Thepriestsknewthisonyonderpyramid，andwhenIclaimedmyrighttolieatthesideoftheTeule，theygainsayedme，norwouldtheysufferit，thoughtheyhungeredfortheroyalblood，tillI
　　calleddownthevengeanceofthegodsuponthem。
　　Nowmyuncle，andyou，lords，Itellyouthis:Slayyondermanifyouwill，butknowthatthenyoumustfindanotherthanmetoluretheOtomiefromtheirrebellion，forthenIcompletewhatIbeganto-day，andfollowhimtothegrave。’
　　Sheceasedandamurmurofamazementwentroundthechamber，fornonehadlookedtofindsuchloveandcourageinthislady’sheart。
　　OnlyCuitlahuagrewangry。
　　’Disloyalgirl，’hesaid；’doyoudaretosetyourloverbeforeyourcountry？
　　Shameuponyou，shamelessdaughterofourking。
　　Why，itisintheblood——asthefatherissoisthedaughter。
　　DidnotMontezumaforsakehispeopleandchoosetolieamongtheseTeules，thefalsechildrenofQuetzal？
　　AndnowthisOtomiefollowsinhispath。
　　Tellushowisit，woman，thatyouandyourloveraloneescapedfromtheteocalliyonderwhenalltherestwerekilled。
　　AreyoutheninleaguewiththeseTeules？
　　Isaytoyou，niece，thatifthingswereotherwiseandIhadmyway，youshouldwinyourdesireindeed，foryoushouldbeslainatthisman’ssideandwithinthehour。’
　　Andheceasedforlackofbreath，andlookeduponherfiercely。
　　ButOtomieneverquailed；shestoodbeforehimpaleandquiet，withfoldedhandsanddowncasteyes，andanswered:
　　’Forbeartoreproachmebecausemyloveisstrong，orreproachmeifyouwill，Ihavespokenmylastword。
　　CondemnthismantodieandPrinceyoumustseeksomeotherenvoytowinbacktheOtomietothecauseofAnahuac。’
　　NowCuitlahuapondered，staringintothegloomabovehimandpullingathisbeard，andthesilencewasgreat，fornoneknewwhathisjudgmentwouldbe。
　　Atlasthespoke:
　　’Sobeit。
　　WehaveneedofOtomie，myniece，anditisofnoavailtofightagainstawoman’slove。
　　Teule，wegiveyoulife，andwiththelifehonourandwealth，andthegreatestofourwomeninmarriage，andaplaceinourcouncils。
　　Takethesegiftsandher，butIsaytoyouboth，bewarehowyouusethem。
　　Ifyoubetrayus，nay，ifyoudobutthinkontreachery，Isweartoyouthatyoushalldieadeathsoslowandhorriblethattheverynameofitwouldturnyourhearttowater；youandyourwife，yourchildrenandyourservants。
　　Come，lethimbesworn！’
　　Iheardandmyheadswam，andamistgatheredbeforemyeyes。
　　OnceagainIwassavedfrominstantdeath。
　　Presentlyitcleared，andlookingupmyeyesmetthoseofthewomanwhohadsavedme，Otomiemywife，whosmileduponmesomewhatsadly。
　　Thenthepriestcameforwardbearingawoodenbowl，carvedaboutwithstrangesigns，andaflintknife，andbademebaremyarm。
　　Hecutmyfleshwiththeknife，sothatbloodranfromitintothebowl。
　　Somedropsofthisbloodheemptiedontotheground，mutteringinvocationsthewhile。
　　ThenheturnedandlookedatCuitlahuaasthoughinquestion，andCuitlahuaansweredwithabitterlaugh:
　　’LethimbebaptizedwiththebloodoftheprincessOtomiemyniece，forsheisbailforhim。’
　　’Nay，lord，’saidGuatemoc，’thesetwohavemingledbloodsalreadyuponthestoneofsacrifice，andtheyaremanandwife。
　　ButIalsohavevouchedforhim，andIoffermineinearnestofmyfaith。’
　　’ThisTeulehasgoodfriends，’saidCuitlahua；’youhonourhimovermuch。
　　Butsobeit。’
　　ThenGuatemoccameforward，andwhenthepriestwouldhavecuthimwiththeknife，helaughedandsaid，pointingtothebulletwounduponhisneck:
　　’Noneedforthat，priest。
　　BloodrunsherethatwasshedbytheTeules。
　　Nonecanbefitterforthispurpose。’
　　SothepriestdrewawaythebandageandsufferedthebloodofGuatemoctodropintoasecondsmallerbowl。
　　Thenhecametomeanddippinghisfingerintotheblood，hedrewthesignofacrossuponmyforeheadasaChristianpriestdrawsitupontheforeheadofaninfant，andsaid: