to the spirit of the god to be crushed to powder beneath the bulk of
his marble emblem. On he came while on high the Spaniards shouted in
triumph. His base had struck the stone side of the pyramid fifty feet
above us, now he whirled round and round in the air to strike again
within three paces of where we stood. I felt the solid mountain
shake beneath the blow, and next instant the air was filled with huge
fragments of marble, that whizzed over us and past us as though a mine
of powder had been fired beneath our feet, tearing the rocks from their
base. The god Tezcat had burst into a score of pieces, and these fell
round us like a flight of arrows, and yet we were not touched. My head
was grazed by his head, his feet dug a pit before my feet, but I stood
there unhurt, the false god had no power over the victim who had escaped
him!

After that I remember nothing till I found myself once more in my
apartments in Montezuma's palace, which I never hoped to see again.
Otomie was by me, and she brought me water to wash the paint from my
body and the blood from my wound, which, leaving her own untended, she
dressed skilfully, for the cut of the priest's knife was deep and I had
bled much. Also she clothed herself afresh in a white robe and brought
me raiment to wear, with food and drink, and I partook of them. Then I
bade her eat something herself, and when she had done so I gathered my
wits together and spoke to her.

'What next?' I said. 'Presently the priests will be on us, and we shall
be dragged back to sacrifice. There is no hope for me here, I must fly
to the Spaniards and trust to their mercy.'

'To the mercy of that man with the sword? Say, Teule, who is he?'