Now what further ceremonies were to be carried out in this unholy place I do not know, for at that moment a great tumult arose in the square beneath, and I was hurried from the sanctuary by the priests.  Then I perceived this:  galled to madness by the storm of missiles rained upon them from its crest, the Spaniards were attacking the teocalli.  Already they were pouring across the courtyard in large companies, led by Cortes himself, and with them came many hundreds of their allies the Tlascalans.  On the other hand some thousands of the Aztecs were rushing to the foot of the first stairway to give the white men battle there.  Five minutes passed and the fight grew fierce.  Again and again, covered by the fire of the arquebusiers, the Spaniards charged the Aztecs, but their horses slipping upon the stone pavement, at length they dismounted and continued the fray on foot.  Slowly and with great slaughter the Indians were pushed back and the Spaniards gained a footing on the first stairway.  But hundreds of warriors still crowded the lofty winding road, and hundreds more held the top, and it was plain that if the Spaniards won through at all, the task would be a hard one.  Still a fierce hope smote me like a blow when I saw what was toward.  If the Spaniards took the temple there would be no sacrifice.  No sacrifice could be offered till midday, so Otomie had told me, and that was not for hard upon two hours.  It came to this then, if the Spaniards were victorious within two hours, there was a chance of life for me, if not I must die.

Now when I was led out of the sanctuary of Tezcat, I wondered because the princess Otomie, or rather the goddess Atla as she was then called, was standing among the chief priests and disputing with them, for I had seen her bow her head at the door of the holy place, and thought that it was in token of farewell, seeing that she was the last of the four women to leave me.  Of what she disputed I could not hear because of the din of battle, but the argument was keen and it seemed to me that the priests were somewhat dismayed at her words, and yet had a fierce joy in them.  It appeared also that she won her cause, for presently they bowed in obeisance to her, and turning slowly she swept to my side with a peculiar majesty of gait that even then I noted.  Glancing up at her face also, I saw that it was alight as though with a great and holy purpose, and moreover that she looked like some happy bride passing to her husband’s arms.

‘Why are you not gone, Otomie?’ I said.  ’Now it is too late.  The Spaniards surround the teocalli and you will be killed or taken prisoner.’