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Fall on them at once, do not hesitate till their prowess finds them friends, but crush them. 'Such is the counsel of one whose mother was a Teule; the emperor answered, with sarcasm and bitter meaning.
When I had done, he spoke and said: 'Why do they come here to Anahuac? 'I fear, O king, that they come to take the land, or at the least to rob it of all its treasure, and to destroy its faiths. 'What then is your counsel, Teule?
'Well done, daughter of Montezuma, and you, white man, gasped the dying king. 'The gods were wise when they refused you both upon the stone of sacrifice, and I was foolish when I would have slain you, Teule. To you and all I say be of a steadfast heart, and if you must die, then die with honour. The fray draws on, but I shall not share it, and who knows its end?
Two days after the death of the astronomer, Montezuma bethought him that, as he believed, I also was a Teule, and could give him information. So at the hour of sunset he sent for me, bidding me walk with him in the gardens. I went thither, followed by my musicians and attendants, who would never leave me in peace, but he commanded that all should stand aside, as he wished to speak with me alone.
For while I stood thus, Otomie clasped my hand, and whispering, 'Fly, fly swiftly! led me away from the stone of sacrifice. 'Whither shall we go? I said at length. 'Were it not better to trust to the mercy of the Spaniards? 'To the mercy of that man-devil with the sword? she answered. 'Peace, Teule, and follow me.
I am away to Mexico to report these matters to the viceroy, who may have a word to say. I made no answer, but asked of our conductor, that same Spaniard whom I had saved from the sacrifice, what the senor meant by his words. 'This, Teule; that there has been a quarrel between our comrade Sarceda and our captain.
'Nay, answered Marina, 'there is this to be said. Quetzal, the god to whom this Teule is to be offered, was a white man,* and it may well happen that this man is one of his children. Will it please the god that his child should be offered to him? At the least, if the god is not angered, Montezuma will certainly be wroth, and wreak a vengeance on you and on the priests.
'Do not wonder, Teule, she said in a low voice, answering the question my tongue refused to frame, 'I am your wife and yonder is our marriage bed, the first and last. Though you do not love me, to-day I die your death and at your side, as I have the right to do. I could not save you, Teule, but at least I can die with you.
Our eyes met and she started, thereby showing that she knew me again, though it must have been hard for Marina to recognise her friend Teule in the blood-stained, starving, and tattered wretch who could scarcely find strength to climb the azotea. But at that time no words passed between us, for all eyes were bent on the meeting between Cortes and Guatemoc, between the conqueror and the conquered.
'Whether this Teule shall be slain forthwith, or whether he shall be sworn as one of us, should he be willing to take the oath? The prince Guatemoc here vouches for him, and he says, moreover, that you will vouch for him also. A woman can do this in one way only, by taking him she vouches as her husband. You are already wed to this foreigner by the rule of religion.
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