Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-09-12
CHAPTER XXI.

Long before I awoke that day the COM
mands of the council had been carried out,
and the bridges in the great causeways
were broken down wherever dikes crossed
the raised roads that ran through the Wa
ters of the lake. That afternoon also l
went, dressed as an Indian warrior, with
Guatemoc and the other generals, to par
lev which was held with Cortes who took
his stand in the same tower Of the palace
that Montezuma had stood on when tho
arrow Of Guatemoc struck him down.
There Is little to be said Of this parley, and
! remembered it chiefly because 1t was
then, for the first time since had left tho
Tabascans, that I saw Marina close and
heard her sweet and gentle voice, for
now, as ever, she was by the side OF Cortes'
translating his proposals Of peace to tho
Aztecs. Among these proposals was ono
that showed me that Dc Garcia had not
been idle. It asked that the false white
man who had been rescued from the altars
Of the gods upon the teocaM should be
given In exchange for certain Aztec pris-
oners, in order that he might be hung, ao-
cording to his merits, as spy and desert
or, q traitor to tho emperor OF Spain.
wondered as I heard If Marina knew when
she spoke tho words that 1.-THE false white
man" was none other than the friend OF
her Tabascan days.
you see that you are fortunate In hav-
ing found place among us Aztecs, Teule,
said Guatemoc, with laugh, for your
own people would greet you with rope. ;"
Then no answered Cortes, saying moth
ing of me, but bidding him and all the
Spaniards prepare for death.
MANY Of US have perished," he said.
"You also must perish, Teules. You shall
perish of hunger and thirst; you shall per-
ish on the altars Of the gods. There Is no
escape for you, Teules. The bridges are
broken"
And all the multitude took up the words
and thundered OUT There is no escape for
you, Teules. The bridges are brokenP
Then the shooting of arrows began, and
I sought tho palace to tell Otomie, my
wife, what I had gathered Of the state Of
her father Montezuma, who the Spaniards
said still lay dying, and of her two sisters,
who1were hostages IN their quarters.
Two, dsyslater came tho news that Mon
tezuma .wasS dead and shortly after 1t his
body, whiohithe Spaniards handed over to
the Aztecs for burial, attired in the gor-
seous robes Of royalty. They laid it in the
ball Of the palace, whence it was hurried
secretly and at night to Chapoltepec and
there hidden away with small ceremony,
for it was feared that the people might
rend it limb from limb in their rage.
With Otomie weeping at my side, looked
for the last time on the face Of that most
unhappy king, whose reign, so glorious in
its beginning, had ended thus. Otomie,
oeasing from her tears, kissed his clay and
cried aloud:
20 my father, it is well that you are
dead, for none who loved you could desire
to SEQ you live on in shame and serri5ude!
May the gods you worshiped give mo
strength to avenge you, or if they be no
gods then may find it in myself. 1swear
this, my father, that while n man is left
to me will not cease from seeking to
-avenge you
Then, taking my hand, without another
word she turned and passed thence. AS
will be seen, she kept her OATH
On that day and on the morrow there
was fighting with the Spaniards, who sal
lied out to fill up the gaps in the dikes or
the causeway, q task in which they sue
peeded, though with some loss. buS IL
savailed them nothing, for so soon as thear
backs were turned we opened the dikes
again. 1t was on these days that for the
Hrst time I had experience OF war, and
armed with my bow made after the Eng