‘And if we reject them?’

’Then the Captain Bernal Diaz has orders to sack and destroy this city, and having given it over for twelve hours to the mercy of the Tlascalans and other faithful Indian allies, to collect those who may be left living within it, and bring them to the city of Mexico, there to be sold as slaves.’

‘Good,’ I said; ‘you shall have your answer in an hour.’  Now, leaving the gate guarded, I hurried to the palace, sending messengers as I went to summon such of the council of the city as remained alive.  At the door of the palace I met Otomie, who greeted me fondly, for after hearing of our disaster she had hardly looked to see me again.

‘Come with me to the Hall of Assembly,’ I said; ’there I will speak to you.’

We went to the hall, where the members of the council were already gathering.  So soon as the most of them were assembled, there were but eight in all, I repeated to them the words of de Garcia without comment.  Then Otomie spoke, as being the first in rank she had a right to do.  Twice before I had heard her address the people of the Otomie upon these questions of defence against the Spaniards.  The first time, it may be remembered, was when we came as envoys from Cuitlahua, Montezuma her father’s successor, to pray the aid of the children of the mountain against Cortes and the Teules.  The second time was when, some fourteen years ago, we had returned to the City of Pines as fugitives after the fall of Tenoctitlan, and the populace, moved to fury by the destruction of nearly twenty thousand of their soldiers, would have delivered us as a peace offering into the hands of the Spaniards.

On each of these occasions Otomie had triumphed by her eloquence, by the greatness of her name and the majesty of her presence.  Now things were far otherwise, and even had she not scorned to use them, such arts would have availed us nothing in this extremity.  Now her great name was but a shadow, one of many waning shadows cast by an empire whose glory had gone for ever; now she used no passionate appeal to the pride and traditions of a doomed race, now she was no longer young and the first splendour of her womanhood had departed from her.  And yet, as with her son and mine at her side, she rose to address those seven councillors, who, haggard with fear and hopeless in the grasp of fate, crouched in silence before her, their faces buried in their hands, I thought that Otomie had never seemed more beautiful, and that her words, simple as they were, had never been more eloquent.

‘Friends,’ she said, ’you know the disaster that has overtaken us.  My husband has given you the message of the Teules.  Our case is desperate.  We have but a thousand men at most to defend this city, the home of our forefathers, and we alone of all the peoples of Anahuac still dare to stand in arms against the white men.  Years ago I said to you, Choose between death with honour and life with shame!  To-day again I say to you, Choose!  For me and mine there is no choice left, since whatever you decide, death must be our portion.  But with you it is otherwise.  Will you die fighting, or will you and your children serve your remaining years as slaves?’