eady to sacrifice
life, love, honor, every thing--how can we hope that they will teach us
any thing better or higher than we learn from the ancient oracles of our
faith, and the holy priesthood of our religion? No, it cannot be. Their
pathway is drenched in blood, and so it will be, till the throne, and he
who honors it, are laid in dust at their feet, and you and I, and all
the myriads of our people, have become their abject slaves."

"Say not so, I beseech you, dear Guatimozin. Where my father leads, I
must follow, and hope for the best. And you must follow too, for I
cannot go without you. Here, take this rose, and wear it as a pledge to
me, over this sparkling fountain, that you will no more hazard the
imperial displeasure, and the anger of the gods, by your bold and rash
resistance of the known decrees of fate. And I will weave a chaplet of
the same, to lay upon the altar, to propitiate for us all the favor of
heaven."

There was too much real chivalry in the heart of Guatimozin, to resist
the earnest love and eloquent persuasion of his lady-love. He kissed her
fair cheek in token of submission to her sway, and then led her to the
palace, to learn if any thing new had transpired to encourage his hope
that his wishes would yet be realized, in the exclusion of the Spaniards
from the city. As they passed along, they heard Karee-o-than, the
garrulous pet of the Princess, seemingly soliloquising among the
branches of the flowering orange that hung over her favorite arbor. They
paused a moment, but could gather nothing from his chatterings but
"Brave Guatimozin! noble Guatimozin! all is yours."

"An omen! my sweet cousin, a genuine emphatic omen! Even Karee-o-than
encourages me in my treason. I wish I knew how she would respond to the
name of this redoubtable Cortez. Pray ask her, Tecuichpo, what she
thinks of the Spaniard."

"Fear you not to trifle thus?" asked Tecuichpo.

"Fear not, brave Guatimozin!" responded the parrot.

"There, I have it again, my love; all she says is against you. And what
do you say of Malinche, pretty Karee-o-than?"

"Poor Malinche! brave Guatimozin."

"Bravo!" exclaimed the Prince, "the bird is as good as an omen, and
I"----

At that moment, Karee appeared, and coming towards them in great haste
and trepidation, informed them that the Spaniards had already reached
their quarters in the old palace, and that Montezuma had gone thither,
in royal state, to receive them.

"And what thin