'You!' I said, sinking back upon my cushions. 'YOU!'

'Yes, I. Listen: I was chosen by the priests as the most lovely in the
land, however unworthily. My father, the emperor, was angry and said
that whatever befell, I should never be the wife of a captive who must
die upon the altar of sacrifice. But the priests answered that this was
no time for him to claim exception for his blood, now when the gods were
wroth. Was the first lady in the land to be withheld from the god? they
asked. Then my father sighed and said that it should be as I willed. And
I said with the priests, that now in our sore distress the proud must
humble themselves to the dust, even to the marrying of a captive slave
who is named a god and doomed to sacrifice. So I, princess of the
Otomie, have consented to become your wife, O Tezcat, though perchance
had I known all that I read in your eyes this hour, I should not have
consented. It may happen that in this shame I hoped to find love if
only for one short hour, and that I purposed to vary the custom of our
people, and to complete my marriage by the side of the victim on the
altar, as, if I will, I have the right to do. But I see well that I am
not welcome, and though it is too late to go back upon my word, have
no fear. There are others, and I shall not trouble you. I have given my
message, is it your pleasure that I should go? The solemn ceremony of
wedlock will be on the twelfth day from now, O Tezcat.'

Now I rose from my seat and took her hand, saying:

'I thank you, Otomie, for your nobleness of mind. Had it not been for
the comfort and friendship which you and Guatemoc your cousin have given
me, I think that ere now I should be dead. So you desire to comfort me
to the last; it seems that you even purposed to die with me. How am I
to interpret this, Otomie? In our land a woman would need to love a