OnthemorningafterhisdeaththeSpanisharrayenteredthepass。
　　Half-waydownitImetthemwithmyfivehundredmenandengagedthem，butsufferedthemtodriveusbackwithsomeloss。
　　Astheyfollowedtheygrewbolderandwefledfaster，tillatlengthweflewdownthedefilefollowedbytheSpanishhorse。
　　Now，somethreefurlongsfromitsmouththatleadstotheCityofPines，thispassturnsandnarrows，andherethecliffsaresosheerandhighthatatwilightreignsatthefootofthem。
　　Downthenarrowwayweraninseemingrout，andafteruscametheSpaniardsshoutingontheirsaintsandflushedwithvictory。
　　Butscarcelyhadweturnedthecornerwhentheysanganothersong，forthosewhowerewatchingathousandfeetaboveusgavethesignal，anddownfromonhighcamearainofstonesandbouldersthatdarkenedtheairandcrashedamongthem，crushingmanyofthem。
　　Ontheystruggled，seeingawiderwayinfrontwherethecliffssloped，andperhapshalfofthemwonthrough。
　　Butherethearcherswerewaiting，andnow，intheplaceofstones，arrowswerehaileduponthem，tillatlength，utterlybewilderedandunabletostrikeablowintheirowndefence，theyturnedtoflytowardstheopencountry。
　　Thisfinishedthefight，fornowweassailedtheirflank，andoncemoretherocksthunderedonthemfromabove，andtheendofitwasthatthosewhoremainedoftheSpaniardsandtheirIndianalliesweredriveninutterroutbacktotheplainbeyondthePassofPines。
　　AfterthisbattletheSpaniardstroubledusnomoreformanyyearsexceptbythreats，andmynamegrewgreatamongthepeopleoftheOtomie。
　　OneSpaniardIrescuedfromdeathandafterwardsIgavehimhisliberty。
　　FromhimIinquiredofthedoingsofdeGarciaorSarceda，andlearnedthathewasstillintheserviceofCortes，butthatMarinahadbeentruetoherword，andhadbroughtdisgraceuponhimbecausehehadthreatenedtoputOtomietothetorture。
　　MoreoverCorteswasangrywithhimbecauseofourescape，theburdenofwhichMarinahadlaiduponhisshoulders，hintingthathehadtakenabribetosufferustopassthegate。
　　OfthefourteenyearsofmylifewhichfollowedthedefeatoftheSpaniardsIcanspeakbriefly，forcomparedtothetimethathadgonebeforetheywereyearsofquiet。
　　InthemchildrenwereborntomeandOtomie，threesons，andthesechildrenweremygreatjoy，forIlovedthemdearlyandtheylovedme。
　　Indeed，exceptforthestrainoftheirmother’sblood，theywereEnglishboysandnotIndian，forIchristenedthemall，andtaughtthemourEnglishtongueandfaith，andtheirmienandeyesweremoreEnglishthanIndian，thoughtheirskinsweredark。
　　ButIhadnoluckwiththesedearchildrenofmine，anymorethanIhavehadwiththatwhichLilyboreme。
　　Twoofthemdied——onefromafeverthatallmyskillwouldnotavailtocure，andanotherbyafallfromaloftycedartree，whichheclimbedsearchingforakite’snest。
　　Thusofthethreeofthem——sinceIdonotspeaknowofthatinfant，myfirstborn，whoperishedinthesiege——thereremainedtomeonlytheeldestandbestbelovedofwhomImusttellhereafter。
　　Fortherest，jointlywithOtomieIwasnamedcaciqueoftheCityofPinesatagreatcouncilthatwasheldafterIhaddestroyedtheSpaniardsandtheirallies，andassuchwehadwidethoughnotabsolutepower。
　　Bytheexerciseofthispower，intheendI
　　succeededinabolishingthehorribleritesofhumansacrifice，though，becauseofthis，alargenumberoftheoutlyingtribesfellawayfromourrule，andtheenmityofthepriestswasexcitedagainstme。
　　Thelastsacrifice，exceptoneonly，themostterribleofthemall，ofwhichIwilltellafterwards，thatwasevercelebratedontheteocalliinfrontofthepalace，tookplaceafterthedefeatoftheSpaniardsinthepass。
　　WhenIhaddweltthreeyearsintheCityofPinesandtwosonshadbeenborntomethere，secretmessengersarrivedthatweresentbythefriendsofGuatemoc，whohadsurvivedthetortureandwasstillaprisonerinthehandsofCortes。
　　FromthesemessengerswelearnedthatCorteswasabouttostartuponanexpeditiontotheGulfofHonduras，acrossthecountrythatisnowknownasYucatan，takingGuatemocandotherAztecnobleswithhimforhefearedtoleavethembehind。
　　WeheardalsothattherewasmuchmurmuringamongtheconqueredtribesofAnahuacbecauseofthecrueltiesandextortionsoftheSpaniards，andmanythoughtthatthehourhadcomewhenarisingagainstthemmightbecarriedtoasuccessfulissue。
　　Thiswastheprayerofthosewhosenttheenvoys，thatIshouldraiseaforceofOtomiesandtravelwithitacrossthecountrytoYucatan，andtherewithotherswhowouldbegathered，waitafavourableopportunitytothrowmyselfupontheSpaniardswhentheywereentangledintheforestsandswamps，puttingthemtotheswordandreleasingGuatemoc。
　　Suchwasthefirstpurposeoftheplot，thoughithadmanyothersofwhichitisuselesstospeak，seeingthattheycametonothing。
　　WhenthemessagehadbeendeliveredIshookmyheadsadly，forI
　　couldseenohopeinsuchascheme，butthechiefofthemessengersroseandledmeaside，sayingthathehadawordformyear。
　　’Guatemocsendsthesewords，’hesaid；’Ihearthatyou，mybrother，arefreeandsafewithmycousinOtomieinthemountainsoftheOtomie。
　　I，alas！lingerintheprisonsoftheTeuleslikeacrippledeagleinacage。
　　Mybrother，ifitisinyourpowertohelpme，dosoIconjureyoubythememoryofourancientfriendship，andofallthatwehavesufferedtogether。
　　ThenatimemaystillcomewhenIshallruleagaininAnahuac，andyoushallsitatmyside。’
　　Iheardandmyheartwasstirred，forthen，astothishour，I
　　lovedGuatemocasabrother。
　　’Goback，’Isaid，’andfindmeanstotellGuatemocthatifIcansavehimIwill，thoughIhavesmallhopesthatway。
　　Still，lethimlookformeintheforestsofYucatan。’
　　NowwhenOtomieheardofthispromiseofmineshewasvexed，forshesaidthatitwasfoolishandwouldonlyendinmylosingmylife。
　　Still，havinggivenitsheheldwithmethatitmustbecarriedout，andtheendofitwasthatIraisedfivehundredmen，andwiththemsetoutuponmylongandtoilsomemarch，whichI
　　timedsoastomeetCortesinthepassesofYucatan。
　　AtthelastmomentOtomiewishedtoaccompanyme，butIforbadeit，pointingoutthatshecouldleaveneitherherchildrennorherpeople，andwepartedwithbittergriefforthefirsttime。
　　OfallthehardshipsthatIunderwentIwillnotwrite。
　　Fortwoandahalfmonthswestruggledonacrossmountainsandriversandthroughswampsandforests，tillatlastwereachedamightydesertedcity，thatiscalledPalenquebytheIndiansofthoseparts，whichhasbeenuninhabitedformanygenerations。
　　ThiscityisthemostmarvellousplacethatIhaveseeninallmytravels，thoughmuchofitishiddeninbush，forwhereverthetravellerwanderstherehefindsvastpalacesofmarble，carvenwithinandwithout，andsculpturedteocallisandthehugeimagesofgrinninggods。
　　OftenhaveIwonderedwhatnationwasstrongenoughtobuildsuchacapital，andwhowerethekingsthatdweltinit。
　　Butthesearesecretsbelongingtothepast，andtheycannotbeansweredtillsomelearnedmanhasfoundthekeytothestonesymbolsandwritingswithwhichthewallsofthebuildingsarecoveredover。
　　InthiscityIhidwithmymen，thoughitwasnoeasytasktopersuadethemtotakeuptheirhabitationamongsomanyghostsofthedeparted，nottospeakofthenoisomefeversandthewildbeastsandsnakesthathauntedit，forIhadinformationthattheSpaniardswouldpassthroughtheswampthatliesbetweentheruinsandtheriver，andthereIhopedtoambushthem。
　　ButontheeighthdayofmyhidingIlearnedfromspiesthatCorteshadcrossedthegreatriverhigherup，andwascuttinghiswaythroughtheforest，forofswampshehadpassedmorethanenough。
　　SoIhurriedalsototheriverintendingtocrossit。
　　ButallthatdayandallthatnightitrainedasitcanrainnowhereelseintheworldthatI
　　haveseen，tillatlastwewadedonourroadkneedeepinwater，andwhenwecametothefordoftheriveritwastofindawideroaringflood，thatnomancouldpassinanythinglessfrailthanaYarmouthherringboat。
　　Sothereonthebankwemuststayinmisery，sufferingmanyillsfromfever，lackoffood，andplenitudeofwater，tillatlengththestreamrandown。
　　Threedaysandnightswewaitedthere，andonthefourthmorningI
　　madeshifttocross，losingfourmenbydrowninginthepassage。
　　Onceover，Ihidmyforceinthebushandreeds，andcreptforwardwithsixmenonly，toseeifIcoulddiscoveranythingofthewhereaboutsoftheSpaniards。
　　WithinanhourIstruckthetrailthattheyhadcutthroughtheforest，andfolloweditcautiously。
　　Presentlywecametoaspotwheretheforestwasthin，andhereCorteshadcamped，fortherewasheatleftintheashesofhisfires，andamongthemlaythebodyofanIndianwhohaddiedfromsickness。
　　Notfiftyyardsfromthiscampstoodahugeceiba，atreethathasahabitofgrowthnotunlikethatofourEnglishoak，thoughitissoftwoodedandwhitebarked，andwillincreasemoreinbulkintwentyyearsthananyoakmayinahundred。
　　IndeedI
　　neveryetsawanoaktreesolargeasthisceibaofwhichIwrite，eitheringirthorinitsspreadoftop，unlessitbetheKirbyoakorthetreethatiscalledthe’KingofScoto’whichgrowsatBroome，thatisthenextparishtothisofDitchinghaminNorfolk。
　　Onthisceibatreemanyzaphilotesorvultureswereperched，andaswecrepttowardsitIsawwhatitwastheycametoseek，forfromthelowestbranchesoftheceibathreecorpsesswunginthebreeze。
　　’HerearetheSpaniard’sfootprints，’Isaid。
　　’Letuslookatthem，’andwepassedbeneaththeshadowofthetree。
　　AsIcame，azaphilotealightedontheheadofthebodythathungnearesttome，anditsweight，orthewaftingofthefowl’swing，causedthedeadmantoturnroundsothathecamefacetofacewithme。
　　Ilooked，startedback，thenlookedagainandsanktotheearthgroaning。
　　ForherewashewhomIhadcometoseekandsave，myfriend，mybrother，GuatemocthelastemperorofAnahuac。
　　Herehehunginthedimanddesolateforest，deadbythedeathofathief，whilethevultureshriekeduponhishead。
　　Isatbewilderedandhorror-stricken，andasIsatIrememberedtheproudsignofAztecroyalty，abirdofpreyclaspinganadderinitsclaw。
　　Therebeforemewasthelastofthestock，andbehold！abirdofpreygrippedhishairinitstalons，afittingemblemindeedofthefallofAnahuacandthekingsofAnahuac。
　　Isprangtomyfeetwithanoath，andliftingthebowIheldIsentanarrowthroughthevultureanditfelltotheearthflutteringandscreaming。
　　ThenIbadethosewithmetocutdownthecorpsesofGuatemocandoftheprinceofTacubaandanothernoblewhohungwithhim，andhollowadeepgravebeneaththetree。
　　ThereIlaidthem，andthereIleftthemtosleepforeverinitsmelancholyshadow，andthusforthelasttimeIsawGuatemocmybrother，whomIcamefromfartosaveandfoundmadereadyforburialbytheSpaniard。
　　ThenIturnedmyfacehomewards，fornowAnahuachadnokingtorescue，butitchancedthatbeforeIwentIcaughtaTlascalanwhocouldspeakSpanish，andwhohaddesertedfromthearmyofCortesbecauseofthehardshipsthathesufferedintheirtoilsomemarch。
　　ThismanwaspresentatthemurderofGuatemocandhiscompanions，andheardtheEmperor’slastwords。
　　ItseemsthatsomeknavehadbetrayedtoCortesthatanattemptwouldbemadetorescuetheprince，andthatthereonCortescommandedthatheshouldbehung。
　　ItseemsalsothatGuatemocmethisdeathashehadmetthemisfortunesofhislife，proudlyandwithoutfear。
　　Thesewerehislastwords:’Ididill，Malinche，whenIheldmyhandfromtakingmyownlifebeforeIsurrenderedmyselftoyou。
　　Thenmyhearttoldmethatallyourpromiseswerefalse，andithasnotliedtome。