Thiswasmyshareinthevictoryofthenochetriste。
　　Alas！itwasabarrentriumph，thoughmorethanfivehundredoftheSpaniardswereslainandthousandsoftheirallies。
　　FortherewasnowarlikeskillordisciplineamongtheAztecs，andinsteadoffollowingtheSpaniardstillnotoneofthemremainedalive，theystayedtoplunderthedeadanddragawaythelivingtosacrifice。
　　AlsothisdayofrevengewasasadonetoOtomie，seeingthattwoofherbrothers，Montezuma’ssonswhomtheSpaniardsheldinhostage，perishedwiththeminthefray。
　　AsfordeGarciaIcouldnotlearnwhathadbecomeofhim，norwhetherhewasdeadorliving。
　　CuitlahuawascrownedEmperoroftheAztecsinsuccessiontohisbrotherMontezuma，whileIlaysickwiththewoundgivenmebytheswordofdeGarcia，andalsowiththatwhichIhadreceivedonthealtarofsacrifice。
　　Thishurthadfoundnotimetoheal，andinthefiercefightingontheNightofFearitburstopenandbledmuch。
　　Indeeditgavemetroubleforyears，andtothishourIfeelitintheautumnseason。
　　Otomie，whonursedmetenderly，andsostrangeistheheartofwoman，evenseemedtobeconsoledinhersorrowatthelossofherfatherandnearestkin，becauseIhadescapedtheslaughterandwonfame，toldmeoftheceremonyofthecrowning，whichwassplendidenough。
　　IndeedtheAztecswerealmostmadwithrejoicingbecausetheTeuleshadgoneatlast。
　　Theyforgot，orseemedtoforget，thelossofthousandsoftheirbravestwarriorsandofthefloweroftheirrank，andasyet，atanyrate，theydidnotlookforwardtothefuture。
　　Fromhousetohouseandstreettostreetrantroopsofyoungmenandmaidensgarlandedwithflowers，crying，’TheTeulesaregone，rejoicewithus；theTeulesarefled！’andwoetothemwhowerenotmerry，ay，eventhoughtheirhousesweredesolatewithdeath。
　　Alsothestatuesofthegodsweresetupagainonthegreatpyramidandtheirtemplesrebuilt，theholycrucifixthattheSpaniardshadplacedtherebeingservedastheidolsHuitzelandTezcathadbeenserved，andtumbleddownthesidesoftheteocalli，andthataftersacrificeofsomeSpanishprisonershadbeenofferedinitspresence。
　　ItwasGuatemochimselfwhotoldmeofthissacrilege，butnotwithanyexultation，forIhadtaughthimsomethingofourfaith，andthoughhewastoosturdyaheathentochangehiscreed，insecrethebelievedthattheGodoftheChristianswasatrueandmightyGod。
　　Moreover，thoughhewasobligedtocountenancethem，becauseofthepowerofthepriests，likeOtomie，Guatemocneverlovedthehorridritesofhumansacrifice。
　　NowwhenIheardthistalemyangerovercamemyreason，andIspokefiercely，saying:
　　’Iamsworntoyourcause，Guatemoc，mybrother，andIammarriedtoyourblood，butItellyouthatfromthishouritisanaccursedcause；becauseofyourbloodstainedidolsandyourpriests，itisaccursed。
　　ThatGodwhomyouhavedesecrated，andthosewhoserveHimshallcomebackinpower，andHeshallsitwhereyouridolssatandnoneshallstirHimforever。’
　　ThusIspoke，andmywordsweretrue，thoughIdonotknowwhatputthemintomyheart，sinceIspokeatrandominmywrath。
　　Forto-
　　dayChrist’sChurchstandsuponthesiteoftheplaceofsacrificeinMexico，asignandatokenofHistriumphoverdevils，andthereitshallstandwhiletheworldendures。
　　’Youspeakrashly，mybrother，’Guatemocanswered，proudlyenough，thoughIsawhimquailattheevilomenofmywords。
　　’Isayyouspeakrashly，andwereyouoverheardtherearethose，notwithstandingtherankwehavegivenyou，thehonourwhichyouhavewoninwarandcouncil，andthatyouhavepassedthestoneofsacrifice，whomightforceyoutolookagainuponthefacesofthebeingsyoublaspheme。
　　WhatworsethinghasbeendonetoyourChristianGodthanhasbeendoneagainandagaintoourgodsbyyourwhitekindred？
　　Butletustalknomoreofthismatter，andI
　　prayyou，mybrother，donotuttersuchill-omenedwordstomeagain，lestitshouldstrainourlove。
　　DoyouthenbelievethattheTeuleswillreturn？’
　　’Ay，Guatemoc，sosurelyasto-morrow’ssunshallrise。
　　WhenyouheldCortesinyourhandyoulethimgo，andsincethenhehaswonavictoryatOtompan。
　　Isheaman，thinkyou，tosheathetheswordthathehasoncedrawn，andgodownintodarknessanddishonour？
　　BeforeayearispasttheSpaniardswillbebackatthegatesofTenoctitlan。’
　　’Youarenocomforterto-night，mybrother，’saidGuatemoc，’andyetIfearthatyourwordsaretrue。
　　Well，ifwemustfight，letusstrivetowin。
　　Now，atleast，thereisnoMontezumatotakethevipertohisbreastandnurseittillitstingshim。’
　　Thenheroseandwentinsilence，andIsawthathisheartwasheavy。
　　OnthemorrowofthistalkIcouldleavemybed，andwithinaweekIwasalmostwell。
　　NowitwasthatGuatemoccametomeagain，sayingthathehadbeenbiddenbyCuitlahuatheemperor，tocommandmetoaccompanyhim，Guatemoc，onaserviceoftrustandsecrecy。
　　AndindeedthenatureoftheserviceshowedhowgreataconfidencetheleadersoftheAztecsnowplacedinme，foritwasnoneotherthanthehidingawayofthetreasurethathadbeenrecapturedfromtheSpaniardsontheNightofFear，andwithitmuchmorefromthesecretstoresoftheempire。
　　Atthefallofdarknesswestarted，someofthegreatlords，GuatemocandI，andcomingtothewater’sedge，wefoundtenlargecanoes，eachladenwithsomethingthatwashiddenbycottoncloths。
　　Intothesecanoesweenteredsecretly，thinkingthatnonesawus，threetoacanoe，fortherewerethirtyofusinall，andledbyGuatemoc，wepaddledfortwohoursormoreacrosstheLakeTezcuco，tillwereachedthefurthershoreataspotwherethisprincehadafairestate。
　　Herewelanded，andtheclothswerewithdrawnfromthecargoesofthecanoes，whichweregreatjarsandsacksofgoldandjewels，besidesmanyotherpreciousobjects，amongthemalikenessoftheheadofMontezuma，fashionedinsolidgold，whichwassoheavythatitwasasmuchasGuatemocandIcoulddotoliftitbetweenus。
　　Asforthejars，ofwhich，ifmymemoryservesme，therewereseventeen，sixmenmustcarryeachofthembythehelpofpaddleslashedoneitherside，andthenthetaskwasnotlight。
　　Allthispricelessstuffweboreinseveraljourneystothecrestofarisesomesixhundredpacesdistantfromthewater，settingitdownbythemouthofashaftbehindtheshelterofamoundofearth。
　　Wheneverythingwasbroughtupfromtheboats，Guatemoctouchedmeandanotherman，agreatAztecnoble，bornofaTlascalanmother，ontheshoulder，askingusifwewerewillingtodescendwithhimintothehole，andtheretodisposeofthetreasure。
　　’Gladly，’Ianswered，forIwascurioustoseetheplace，butthenoblehesitatedawhile，thoughintheendhecamewithus，tohisill-fortune。
　　ThenGuatemoctooktorchesinhishand，andwasloweredintotheshaftbyarope。
　　Nextcamemyturn，anddownIwent，hangingtothecordlikeaspidertoitsthread，andtheholewasverydeep。
　　AtlengthIfoundmyselfstandingbythesideofGuatemocatthefootoftheshaft，roundwhich，asIsawbythelightofthetorchhecarried，anedgingofdriedbrickswasbuiltuptotheheightofamanaboveourheads。
　　Restingonthisedgingandagainstthewalloftheshaft，wasamassiveblockofstonesculpturedwiththepicturewritingoftheAztecs。
　　Iglancedatthewriting，whichI
　　couldnowreadwell，andsawthatitrecordedtheburyingofthetreasureinthefirstyearofCuitlahua，EmperorofMexico，andalsoamostfearfulcurseonhimwhoshoulddaretostealit。
　　Beyondusandatrightanglestotheshaftrananotherpassage，tenpacesinlengthandhighenoughforamantowalkin，whichledtoachamberhollowedintheearth，aslargeasthatwhereinIwriteto-dayatDitchingham。
　　Bythemouthofthischamberwereplacedpilesofadobebricksandmortar，muchastheblocksofhewnstonehadbeenplacedinthatundergroundvaultatSevillewhereIsabelladeSiguenzawasbrickedupliving。
　　’Whodugthisplace？’Iasked。
　　’Thosewhoknewnotwhattheydug，’answeredGuatemoc。
　　’Butsee，hereisourcompanion。
　　Now，mybrother，Ichargeyoubesurprisedatnothingwhichcomestopass，andbeassuredIhavegoodreasonforanythingthatImaydo。’
　　BeforeIcouldspeakagaintheAztecnoblewasatourside。
　　Thenthoseabovebegantolowerthejarsandsacksoftreasure，andastheyreachedusonebyone，Guatemocloosedtheropesandcheckedthem，whiletheAztecandIrolledthemdownthepassageintothechamber，ashereinEnglandmenrollacaskofale。
　　Fortwohoursandmoreweworked，tillatlengthallweredownandthetalewascomplete。
　　Thelastparceltobeloweredwasasackofjewelsthatburstopenasitcame，anddescendeduponusinaglitteringrainofgems。
　　Asitchanced，agreatnecklaceofemeraldsofsurpassingsizeandbeautyfellovermyheadandhunguponmyshoulders。
　　’Keepit，brother，’laughedGuatemoc，’inmemoryofthisnight，’
　　andnothingloth，Ihidthebaubleinmybreast。
　　ThatnecklaceI
　　haveyet，anditwasastoneofit——thesmallestsaveone——thatI
　　gavetoourgraciousQueenElizabeth。
　　Otomieworeitformanyyears，andforthisreasonitshallbeburiedwithme，thoughitsvalueispriceless，sosaythosewhoareskilledingems。
　　Butpricelessorno，itisdoomedtolieinthemouldofDitchinghamchurchyard，andmaythatsamecursewhichisgraveduponthestonethathidesthetreasureoftheAztecsfalluponhimwhostealsitfrommybones。
　　Now，leavingthechamber，wethreeenteredthetunnelandbegantheworkofbuildingtheadobewall。
　　Whenitwasofaheightofbetweentwoandthreefeet，Guatemocpausedfromhislabourandbademeholdatorchaloft。
　　Iobeyedwonderingwhathewishedtosee。
　　ThenhedrewbacksomethreepacesintothetunnelandspoketotheAztecnoble，ourcompanion，byname。
　　’Whatisthefateofdiscoveredtraitors，friend？’hesaidinavoicethat，quietthoughitwas，soundedveryterrible；and，ashespoke，heloosedfromhissidethewarclubsetwithspikesofglassthathungtherebyathong。
　　NowtheAztecturnedgreybeneathhisduskyskinandtrembledinhisfear。
　　’Whatmeanyou，lord？’hegasped。
　　’YouknowwellwhatImean，’answeredGuatemocinthesameterriblevoice，andliftedtheclub。
　　Thenthedoomedmanfelluponhiskneescryingformercy，andhiswailingsoundedsoawfulinthatdeepandlonelyplacethatinmyhorrorIwentneartolettingthetorchfall。
　　’ToafoeIcangivemercy——toatraitor，none，’answeredGuatemoc，andwhirlingtheclubaloft，herusheduponthenobleandkilledhimwithablow。
　　Then，seizingthebodyinhisstrongembrace，hecastitintothechamberwiththetreasure，andthereitlaystillanddreadfulamongthegemsandgold，thearms，asitchanced，beingwoundabouttwoofthegreatjarsasthoughthedeadmanwouldclaspthemtohisheart。
　　NowIlookedatGuatemocwhohadslainhim，wonderingifmyhourwasathandalso，forIknewwellthatwhenprincesburytheirwealththeyholdthatfewshouldsharethesecret。
　　’Fearnot，mybrother，’saidGuatemoc。