DidIspeaklies？
　　Nay，Ispoketruth，forthroughthetreasonofhertribes，andchieflythroughthetreasonoftheTlascalans，Anahuacisfallen，andTenoctitlanisaruinsownwithdeadlikeafieldwithcorn。’
　　’Itistrue，’criedavoice。
　　’Yes，peopleoftheOtomie，itistrue，butIsaythathadallthewarriorsofthenationsofAnahuacplayedthepartthatyoursonsplayed，thetalehadrunotherwise。
　　Theyaredead，andbecauseoftheirdeathyouwoulddeliverustoourfoesandyours，butIforonedonotmournthem，thoughamongtheirnumberaremanyofmykin。
　　Nay，benotwroth，butlisten。
　　Itisbetterthattheyshouldliedeadinhonour，havingearnedforthemselvesawreathoffame，andanimmortaldwellingintheHousesoftheSun，thanthattheyshouldlivetobeslaves，whichitseemsisyourdesire，peopleoftheOtomie。
　　ThereisnofalsewordinwhatIsaidtoyou。
　　NowthesticksthatMalinchehasusedtobeatoutthebrainsofGuatemocshallbebrokenandburnttocookthepotoftheTeules。
　　Alreadythesefalsechildrenarehisslaves。
　　Haveyounotheardhiscommand，thatthetribeshisalliesshalllabourinthequarriesandthestreetstillthegloriouscitywhichhehasburnedrisesafreshuponthefaceofthewaters？
　　Willyounothastentotakeyourshareinthework，peopleoftheOtomie，theworkthatknowsnorestandnorewardexceptthelashoftheoverseerandthecurseoftheTeule？
　　Surelyyouwillhasten，peopleofthemountains！
　　Yourhandsareshapedtothespadeandthetrowel，nottothebowandthespear，anditwillbesweetertotoiltodothewillandswellthewealthofMalincheinthesunofthevalleyortheshadowofthemine，thantobideherefreeuponyourhillswhereasyetnofoehassethisfoot！’
　　Againshepaused，andamurmurofdoubtandunrestwentthroughthethousandswholistened。
　　Maxtlasteppedforwardandwouldhavespoken，butthepeopleshoutedhimdown，crying:’Otomie，Otomie！
　　LetushearthewordsofOtomie。’
　　’Ithankyou，mypeople，’shesaid，’forIhavestillmuchtotellyou。
　　Ourcrimeisthen，thatwedrewanarmyafterustofightagainsttheTeules。
　　Andhowdidwedrawthisarmy？
　　DidIcommandyoutomusteryourarray？
　　Nay，IsetoutmycaseandIsaid“Nowchoose。“
　　Youchose，andofyourownfreewillyoudespatchedthosegloriouscompaniesthatnowaredead。
　　Mycrimeisthereforethatyouchosewronglyasyousay，butasIstillhold，mostrightly，andbecauseofthiscrimeIandmyhusbandaretobegivenasapeaceofferingtotheTeules。
　　Listen:letmetellyousomethingofthosewarsinwhichwehavefoughtbeforeyougiveustotheTeulesandourmouthsaresilentforever。
　　WhereshallIbegin？
　　Iknownot。
　　Stay，Iboreachild——hadhelivedhewouldhavebeenyourprinceto-day。
　　ThatchildIsawstarvetodeathbeforemyeyes，inchbyinchanddaybydayIsawhimstarve。
　　Butitisnothing；
　　whoamIthatIshouldcomplainbecauseIhavelostmyson，whensomanyofyoursonsaredeadandtheirbloodisrequiredatmyhands？
　　Listenagain:’andshewentontotellinburningwordsofthehorrorsofthesiege，ofthecrueltiesoftheSpaniards，andofthebraveryofthemenoftheOtomiewhomIhadcommanded。
　　Forafullhourshespokethus，whileallthatvastaudiencehunguponherwords。
　　AlsoshetoldofthepartthatIplayedinthestruggle，andofthedeedswhichIhaddone，andnowandagainsomesoldierinthecrowdwhoservedunderme，andwhohadescapedthefamineandthemassacre，criedout:
　　’Itistrue；wesawitwithoureyes。’
　　’Andso，’shesaid，’atlastitwasfinished，atlastTenoctitlanwasaruinandmycousinandmyking，thegloriousGuatemoc，layaprisonerinthehandsofMalinche，andwithhimmyhusbandTeule，mysister，Imyself，andmanyanother。
　　MalinchesworethathewouldtreatGuatemocandhisfollowingwithallhonour。
　　Doyouknowhowhetreatedhim？
　　WithinafewdaysGuatemocourkingwasseatedinthechairoftorment，whileslavesburnedhimwithhotironstocausehimtodeclarethehidingplaceofthetreasureofMontezuma！
　　Ay，youmaywellcry“Shameuponhim，“youshallcryityetmoreloudlybeforeIhavedone，forknowthatGuatemocdidnotsufferalone，oneliestherewhosufferedwithhimandspokenoword，andIalso，yourprincess，wasdoomedtotorment。
　　Weescapedwhendeathwasatourdoor，forItoldmyhusbandthatthepeopleoftheOtomiehadtruehearts，andwouldshelterusinoursorrow，andforhissakeI，Otomie，disguisedmyselfintherobeofawantonandfledwithhimhither。
　　CouldIhaveknownwhatIshouldlivetoseeandhear，couldIhavedreamedthatyouwouldreceiveusthus，IhaddiedahundreddeathsbeforeIcametostandandpleadforpityatyourhands。
　　’Oh！mypeople，mypeople，Ibeseechofyou，makenotermswiththefalseTeule，butremainboldandfree。
　　Yournecksarenotfittedtotheyokeoftheslave，yoursonsanddaughtersareoftoohighabloodtoservetheforeignerinhisneedsandpleasures。
　　DefyMalinche。
　　Someofourracearedead，butmanythousandsremain。
　　HereinyourmountainnestyoucanbeatbackeveryTeuleinAnahuac，asinbygoneyearsthefalseTlascalansbeatbacktheAztecs。
　　ThentheTlascalanswerefree，nowtheyarearaceofserfs。
　　Say，willyousharetheirserfdom？
　　Mypeople，mypeople，thinknotthatIpleadformyself，orevenforthehusbandwhoismoredeartomethanaughtsavehonour。
　　DoyouindeeddreamthatwewillsufferyoutohanduslivingtothesedogsofTlascalans，whomMalincheinsultsyoubysendingashismessengers？
　　Look，’andshewalkedtowherethespearthathadbeenhurledatherlayuponthepavementandliftedit，’hereisameansofdeaththatsomefriendhassentus，andifyouwillnotlistentomypleadingyoushallseeitusedbeforeyoureyes。
　　Then，ifyouwill，youmaysendourbodiestoMalincheasapeaceoffering。
　　ButforyourownsakesIpleadwithyou。
　　DefyMalinche，andifyoumustdieatlast，dieasfreemenandnotastheslavesoftheTeule。
　　Beholdnowhistendermercies，andseethelotthatshallbeyoursifyoutakeanothercounsel，thecounselofMaxtla；’andcomingtothelitteronwhichIlay，swiftlyOtomierentmyrobesfrommeleavingmealmostnakedtothewaist，andunwoundthebandagesfrommywoundedlimb，thenliftedmeupsothatIresteduponmysoundfoot。
　　’Look！’shecriedinapiercingvoice，andpointingtothescarsandunhealedwoundsuponmyfaceandleg；’lookontheworkoftheTeuleandtheTlascalan，seehowthefoeisdealtwithwhosurrenderstothem。
　　Yieldifyouwill，desertusifyouwill，butIsaythatthenyourownbodiesshallbemarkedinalikefashion，tillnotanounceofgoldisleftthatcanministertothegreedoftheTeule，oramanoramaidenwhocanlabourtosatisfyhisindolence。’
　　Thensheceased，andlettingmesinkgentlytotheground，forI
　　couldnotstandalone，shestoodoverme，thespearinherhand，asthoughwaitingtoplungeittomyheartshouldthepeoplestilldemandoursurrendertothemessengersofCortes。
　　Foroneinstanttherewassilence，thenofasuddentheclamourandthetumultbrokeoutagaintentimesmorefuriouslythanatfirst。
　　Butitwasnolongeraimedatus。
　　Otomiehadconquered。
　　Hernoblewords，herbeauty，thetaleofoursorrowsandthesightofmytorments，haddonetheirwork，andtheheartofthepeoplewasfilledwithfuryagainsttheTeuleswhohaddestroyedtheirarmy，andtheTlascalansthathadaidedthem。
　　Neverdidthewitandeloquenceofawomancauseaswifterchange。
　　Theyscreamedandtoretheirrobesandshooktheirweaponsintheair。
　　Maxtlastrovetospeak，buttheypulledhimdownandpresentlyhewasflyingforhislife。
　　ThentheyturnedupontheTlascalanenvoysandbeatthemwithsticks，crying:
　　’ThisisouranswertoMalinche。
　　Run，youdogs，andtakeit！’tilltheyweredrivenfromthetown。
　　Nowatlengththeturmoilceased，andsomeofthegreatchiefscameforwardand，kissingthehandofOtomie，said:
　　’Princess，weyourchildrenwillguardyoutothedeath，foryouhaveputanotherheartintous。
　　Youareright；itisbettertodiefreethantoliveasslaves。’
　　’See，myhusband，’saidOtomie，’IwasnotmistakenwhenItoldyouthatmypeoplewereloyalandtrue。
　　Butnowwemustmakereadyforwar，fortheyhavegonetoofartoturnback，andwhenthistidingscomestotheearsofMalinchehewillbelikeapumarobbedofheryoung。
　　Now，letusrest，Iamveryweary。’
　　’Otomie，’Ianswered，’therehaslivednogreaterwomanthanyouuponthisearth。’
　　’Icannottell，husband，’shesaid，smiling；’ifIhavewonyourpraiseandsafety，itisenoughforme。’
　　NowforawhilewedweltinquietattheCityofPines，andbyslowdegreesandwithmuchsufferingIrecoveredfromthewoundsthatthecruelhandofdeGarciahadinflicteduponme。
　　Butweknewthatthispeacecouldnotlast，andthepeopleoftheOtomieknewitalso，forhadtheynotscourgedtheenvoysofMalincheoutofthegatesoftheircity？
　　Manyofthemwerenowsorrythatthishadbeendone，butitwasdone，andtheymustreapastheyhadsown。
　　Sotheymadereadyforwar，andOtomiewasthepresidentoftheircouncils，inwhichIshared。
　　AtlengthcamenewsthataforceoffiftySpaniardswithfivethousandTlascalanallieswereadvancingonthecitytodestroyus。
　　ThenItookcommandofthetribesmenoftheOtomie——thereweretenthousandormoreofthem，allwell-armedaftertheirownfashion——andadvancedoutofthecitytillIwastwo-thirdsofthewaydownthegorgewhichleadstoit。
　　ButIdidnotbringallmyarmydownthisgorge，sincetherewasnoroomforthemtofightthere，andIhadanotherplan。
　　Isentsomeseventhousandmenroundthemountains，ofwhichthesecretpathswerewellknowntothem，biddingthemclimbtothecrestoftheprecipicesthatborderedeithersideofthegorge，andthere，atcertainplaceswherethecliffissheerandmorethanonethousandfeetinheight，tomakeagreatprovisionofstones。
　　Therestofmyarmy，exceptingfivehundredwhomIkeptwithme，I
　　armedwithbowsandthrowingspears，andstationedtheminambushinconvenientplaceswherethesidesofthecliffwerebroken，andinsuchfashionthatrocksfromabovecouldnotberolledonthem。
　　ThenIsenttrustymenasspiestowarnmeoftheapproachoftheSpaniards，andotherswhosemissionitwastoofferthemselvestothemasguides。
　　NowIthoughtmyplangood，andeverythinglookedwell，andyetitmissedfailurebutbyaverylittle。
　　ForMaxtla，ourenemyandthefriendoftheSpaniards，wasinmycamp——indeed，IhadbroughthimwithmethatImightwatchhim——andhehadnotbeenidle。
　　ForwhentheSpaniardswerehalfaday’smarchfromthemouthofthedefile，oneofthosemenwhomIhadtoldofftowatchtheiradvance，cametomeandmadeitknownthatMaxtlahadbribedhimtogototheleaderoftheSpaniardsanddisclosetohimtheplanoftheambuscade。
　　Thismanhadtakenthebribeandstartedonhiserrandoftreachery，buthisheartfailedhimand，returning，hetoldmeall。
　　ThenIcausedMaxtlatobeseized，andbeforenightfallhehadpaidthepriceofhiswickedness。