‘I know nothing of the treasure, general,’ I answered coldly.  ’Send me to my death.’

’You mean that you will say nothing of it, traitor.  Think again.  If you have sworn any oaths they are broken by God.  The empire of the Aztecs is at an end, their king is my prisoner, their great city is a ruin.  The true God has triumphed over these devils by my hand.  Their wealth is my lawful spoil, and I must have it to pay my gallant comrades who cannot grow rich on desolation.  Think again.’

‘I know nothing of this treasure, general.’

’Yet memory sometimes wakens, traitor.  I have said that you shall die if yours should fail you, and so you shall to be sure.  But death is not always swift.  There are means, doubtless you who have lived in Spain have heard of them,’ and he arched his brows and glared at me meaningly, ’by which a man may die and yet live for many weeks.  Now, loth as I am to do it, it seems that if your memory still sleeps, I must find some such means to rouse it—­before you die.’

‘I am in your power, general,’ I answered.  ’You call me traitor again and again.  I am no traitor.  I am a subject of the King of England, not of the King of Spain.  I came hither following a villain who has wrought me and mine bitter wrong, one of your company named de Garcia or Sarceda.  To find him and for other reasons I joined the Aztecs.  They are conquered and I am your prisoner.  At the least deal with me as a brave man deals with a fallen enemy.  I know nothing of the treasure; kill me and make an end.’

’As a man I might wish to do this, Wingfield, but I am more than a man, I am the hand of the Church here in Anahuac.  You have partaken with the worshippers of idols, you have seen your fellow Christians sacrificed and devoured by your brute comrades.  For this alone you deserve to be tortured eternally, and doubtless that will be so after we have done with you.  As for the hidalgo Don Sarceda, I know him only as a brave companion in arms, and certainly I shall not listen to tales told against him by a wandering apostate.  It is, however, unlucky for you,’ and here a gleam of light shot across the face of Cortes, ’that there should be any old feud between you, seeing that it is to his charge that I am about to confide you.  Now for the last time I say choose.  Will you reveal the hiding place of the treasure and go free, or will you be handed over to the care of Don Sarceda till such time as he shall find means to make you speak?’

Now a great faintness seized me, for I knew that I was condemned to be tortured, and that de Garcia was to be the torturer.  What mercy had I to expect from his cruel heart when I, his deadliest foe, lay in his power to wreak his vengeance on?  But still my will and my honour prevailed against my terrors, and I answered: 

’I have told you, general, that I know nothing of this treasure.  Do your worst, and may God forgive you for your cruelty.’