'None,' she answered. 'Perchance if you abandon the worship of the false
gods you may save your soul; your life you cannot save, nor the lives of
your people.'

Then she turned and passed away into the shadow of the trees; I heard
her graveclothes sweep upon the grass.


Now a fury seized Montezuma and he raved aloud, saying:

'Curses on you, Papantzin, my sister! Why then do you come back from the
dead to bring me such evil tidings? Had you brought hope with you, had
you shown a way of escape, then I would have welcomed you. May you go
back into darkness and may the earth lie heavy on your heart for ever.
As for my gods, my fathers worshipped them and I will worship them till
the end; ay, if they desert me, at least I will never desert them.
The gods are angry because the sacrifices are few upon their altars,
henceforth they shall be doubled; ay, the priests of the gods shall
themselves be sacrificed because they neglect their worship.'

Thus he raved on, after the fashion of a weak man maddened with terror,
while his nobles and attendants who had followed him at a distance,
clustered about him, fearful and wondering. At length there came an end,
for tearing with his thin hands at his royal robes and at his hair and
beard, Montezuma fell and writhed in a fit upon the ground.

Then they carried him into the palace and none saw him for three days
and nights. But he made no idle threat as to the sacrifices, for from
that night forward they were doubled throughout the land. Already the