ThenCortessenthasheraldsdemandingoursurrender，andnowthree-fourthsofthecitywasaruin，andthree-fourthsofitsdefendersweredead。
　　Thedeadwereheapedinthehouseslikebeesstifledinahive，andinthestreetstheylaysothickthatwewalkeduponthem。
　　Thecouncilwassummoned——fiercemen，haggardwithhungerandwithwar，andtheyconsideredtheofferofCortes。
　　’Whatisyourword，Guatemoc？’saidtheirspokesmanatlast。
　　’AmIMontezuma，thatyouaskme？
　　Isworetodefendthiscitytothelast，’heansweredhoarsely，’and，formypart，Iwilldefendit。
　　Betterthatweshouldalldie，thanthatweshouldfalllivingintothehandsoftheTeules。’
　　’Sosaywe，’theyreplied，andthewarwenton。
　　AtlengththerecameadaywhentheSpaniardsmadeanewattackandgainedanotherportionofthecity。
　　Therethepeoplewerehuddledtogetherlikesheepinapen。
　　Westrovetodefendthem，butourarmswereweakwithfamine。
　　Theyfiredintouswiththeirpieces，mowingusdownlikecornbeforethesickle。
　　ThentheTlascalanswerelooseduponus，likefiercehoundsuponadefencelessbuck，andonthisdayitissaidthattherediedfortythousandpeople，fornonewerespared。
　　Onthemorrow，itwasthelastdayofthesiege，cameafreshembassyfromCortes，askingthatGuatemocshouldmeethim。
　　Theanswerwasthesame，fornothingcouldconquerthatnoblespirit。
　　’Tellhim，’saidGuatemoc，’thatIwilldiewhereIam，butthatI
　　willholdnoparleywithhim。
　　Wearehelpless，letCortesworkhispleasureonus。’
　　Bynowallthecitywasdestroyed，andwewhoremainedalivewithinitsboundsweregatheredonthecausewaysandbehindtheruinsofwalls；men，women，andchildrentogether。
　　Heretheyattackedusagain。
　　Thegreatdrumontheteocallibeatforthelasttime，andforthelasttimethewildscreamoftheAztecwarriorswentuptoheaven。
　　Wefoughtourbest；IkilledfourmenthatdaywithmyarrowswhichOtomie，whowasatmyside，handedmeasIshot。
　　Butthemostofushadnotthestrengthofachild，andwhatcouldwedo？
　　Theycameamonguslikeseamenamongaflockofseals，andslaughteredusbyhundreds。
　　Theydroveusintothecanalsandtrodustodeaththere，tillbridgesweremadeofourbodies。
　　HowweescapedIdonotknow。
　　Atlengthapartyofus，amongwhomwasGuatemocwithhiswifeTecuichpo，weredriventotheshoresofthelakewherelaycanoes，andintotheseweentered，scarcelyknowingwhatwedid，butthinkingthatwemightescape，fornowallthecitywastaken。
　　Thebrigantinessawusandsailedafteruswithafavouringwind——thewindalwaysfavouredthefoeinthatwar——androwaswewould，oneofthemcameupwithusandbegantofireintous。
　　ThenGuatemocstoodupandspoke，saying:
　　’IamGuatemoc。
　　BringmetoMalinche。
　　Butsparethoseofmypeoplewhoremainalive。’
　　’Now，’IsaidtoOtomieatmyside，’myhourhascome，fortheSpaniardswillsurelyhangme，anditisinmymind，wife，thatI
　　shoulddowelltokillmyself，sothatImaybesavedfromadeathofshame。’
　　’Nay，husband，’sheansweredsadly，’asIsaidinbygonedays，whileyoulivethereishope，butthedeadcomebacknomore。
　　Fortunemayfavourusyet；still，ifyouthinkotherwise，Iamreadytodie。’
　　’ThatIwillnotsuffer，Otomie。’
　　’Thenyoumustholdyourhand，husband，fornowasalways，whereyougo，Ifollow。’
　　’Listen，’Iwhispered；’donotletitbeknownthatyouaremywife；passyourselfasoneoftheladiesofTecuichpo，thequeen，yoursister。
　　Ifweareseparated，andifbyanychanceIescape，I
　　willtrytomakemywaytotheCityofPines。
　　There，amongyourownpeople，wemayfindrefuge。’
　　’Sobeit，beloved，’sheanswered，smilingsadly。
　　’ButIdonotknowhowtheOtomiewillreceiveme，whohaveledtwentythousandoftheirbravestmentoadreadfuldeath。’
　　Nowwewereonthedeckofthebrigantineandmuststoptalking，andthence，aftertheSpaniardshadquarrelledoverusawhile，weweretakenashoreandledtothetopofahousewhichstillstood，whereCorteshadmadereadyhurriedlytoreceivehisroyalprisoner。
　　Surroundedbyhisescort，theSpanishgeneralstood，capinhand，andbyhissidewasMarina，grownmorelovelythanbefore，whomInowmetforthefirsttimesincewehadpartedinTobasco。
　　Oureyesmetandshestarted，therebyshowingthatsheknewmeagain，thoughitmusthavebeenhardforMarinatorecogniseherfriendTeuleintheblood-stained，starving，andtatteredwretchwhocouldscarcelyfindstrengthtoclimbtheazotea。
　　Butatthattimenowordspassedbetweenus，foralleyeswerebentonthemeetingbetweenCortesandGuatemoc，betweentheconquerorandtheconquered。
　　Stillproudanddefiant，thoughheseemedbutalivingskeleton，GuatemocwalkedstraighttowheretheSpaniardstood，andspoke，Marinatranslatinghiswords。
　　’IamGuatemoc，theemperor，Malinche，’hesaid。
　　’Whatamanmightdotodefendhispeople，Ihavedone。
　　Lookonthefruitsofmylabour，’andhepointedtotheblackenedruinsofTenoctitlanthatstretchedoneverysidefarastheeyecouldreach。
　　’NowIhavecometothispass，forthegodsthemselveshavebeenagainstme。
　　Dealwithmeasyouwill，butitwillbebestthatyoukillmenow，’andhetouchedthedaggerofCorteswithhishand，’andthusridmeswiftlyofthemiseryoflife。’
　　’Fearnot，Guatemoc，’answeredCortes。
　　’Youhavefoughtlikeabraveman，andsuchIhonour。
　　Withmeyouaresafe，forweSpaniardsloveagallantfoe。
　　See，hereisfood，’andhepointedtoatablespreadwithsuchviandsaswehadnotseenformanyaweek；’eat，youandyourcompanionstogether，foryoumustneedit。
　　Afterwardswewilltalk。’
　　Soweate，andheartily，Iformypartthinkingthatitwouldbewelltodieuponafullstomach，havingfaceddeathsolonguponanemptyone，andwhilewedevouredthemeattheSpaniardsstoodononesidescanningus，notwithoutpity。
　　Presently，TecuichpowasbroughtbeforeCortes，andwithherOtomieandsomesixotherladies。
　　Hegreetedhergraciously，andtheyalsoweregiventoeat。
　　Now，oneoftheSpaniardswhohadbeenwatchingmewhisperedsomethingintotheearofCortes，andIsawhisfacedarken。
　　’Say，’hesaidtomeinCastilian，’areyouthatrenegade，thattraitorwhohasaidedtheseAztecsagainstus？’
　　’Iamnorenegadeandnotraitor，general，’Iansweredboldly，forthefoodandwinehadputnewlifeintome。
　　’IamanEnglishman，andIhavefoughtwiththeAztecsbecauseIhavegoodcausetohateyouSpaniards。’
　　’Youshallsoonhavebetter，traitor，’hesaidfuriously。
　　’Here，leadthismanawayandhanghimonthemastofyondership。’
　　NowIsawthatitwasfinished，andmadereadytogotomydeath，whenMarinaspokeintotheearofCortes。
　　AllshesaidIcouldnotcatch，butIheardthewords’hiddengold。’
　　Helistened，thenhesitated，andspokealoud:’Donothangthismanto-day。
　　Lethimbesafelyguarded。
　　TomorrowIwillinquireintohiscase。’
　　AtthewordsofCortestwoSpaniardscameforward，andseizingmeonebyeitherarm，theyledmeacrosstheroofofthehousetowardsthestairway。
　　Otomiehadheardalso，andthoughshedidnotunderstandthewords，shereadthefaceofCortes，andknewwellthatIwasbeingtakentoimprisonmentordeath。
　　AsIpassedher，shestartedforward，aterrorshininginhereyes。
　　Fearingthatshewasabouttothrowherselfuponmybreast，andthustorevealherselfasmywife，andbringmyfateuponher，Iglancedatherwarningly，thenmakingpretencetostumble，asthoughwithfearandexhaustion，Ifellatherfeet。
　　Thesoldierswholedmelaughedbrutally，andoneofthemkickedmewithhisheavyboot。
　　ButOtomiestoopeddownandheldherhandtometohelpmerise，andasIdidso，wespokelowandswiftly。
　　’Farewell，wife，’Isaid；’whateverhappens，keepsilent。’
　　’Farewell，’sheanswered；’ifyoumustdie，awaitmeinthegatesofdeath，forIwilljoinyouthere。’
　　’Nay，liveon。
　　Timeshallbringcomfort。’
　　’Youaremylife，beloved。
　　Withyoutimeendsforme。’
　　NowIwasonmyfeetagain，andIthinkthatnonenotedourwhisperedwords，forallwerelisteningtoCortes，whoratedthemanthathadkickedme。
　　’Ibadeyouguardthistraitor，nottokickhim，’hesaidangrilyinCastilian。
　　’Willyouputustoopenshamebeforethesesavages？
　　Dosooncemore，andyoushallpayforitsmartly。
　　Learnalessoningentlenessfromthatwoman；sheisstarving，yetsheleavesherfoodtohelpyourprisonertohisfeet。
　　Nowtakehimawaytothecamp，andseethathecomestonoharm，forhecantellmemuch。’
　　Thenthesoldiersledmeaway，grumblingastheywent，andthelastthingthatIsawwasthedespairingfaceofOtomiemywife，asshegazedafterme，faintwiththesecretagonyofourparting。
　　ButwhenIcametotheheadofthestairway，Guatemoc，whostoodnear，tookmyhandandshookit。
　　’Farewell，mybrother，’hesaidwithaheavysmile；’thegameweplayedtogetherisfinished，andnowitistimeforustorest。
　　I
　　thankyouforyourvalourandyouraid。’
　　’Farewell，Guatemoc，’Ianswered。
　　’Youarefallen，butletthiscomfortyou，inyourfallyouhavefoundimmortalfame。’
　　’On，on！’growledthesoldiers，andIwent，littlethinkinghowGuatemocandIshouldmeetagain。
　　Theytookmetoacanoe，andwewerepaddledacrossthelakebyTlascalans，tillatlengthwecametotheSpanishcamp。
　　Allthejourneythrough，myguards，thoughtheylaidnohandonme，fearingtheangerofCortes，mockedandtauntedme，askingmehowIlikedthewaysoftheheathen，andwhetherIatethefleshofthesacrificesraworcooked；andmanyanothersuchbrutaljesttheymadeatmyexpense。
　　ForawhileIboreit，forIhadlearnedtobepatientfromtheIndians，butatlastIansweredtheminfewwordsandbitter。
　　’Peace，cowards，’Isaid；’rememberthatIamhelpless，andthatwereIbeforeyoustrongandarmed，eitherIshouldnotlivetolistentosuchwords，oryouwouldnotlivetorepeatthem。’
　　Thentheyweresilent，andIalsowassilent。
　　WhenwereachedtheircampIwasledthroughit，followedbyathrongoffierceTlascalansandothers，whowouldhavetornmelimbfromlimbhadtheynotfearedtodoso。