re into the sunshine, "you may not know what a brick is, but you
are one. Shake!" and very much to Tizoc's astonishment, though he
perceived that the act was meant to express great friendliness, Young
most vigorously shook his hand. Under more favorable circumstances
Tizoc, no doubt, would have asked for an explanation of this curious
ceremony, but just then his whole mind was given to making good his
retreat and so securing us against recapture. There was not a moment to
lose, he said; throughout the city the priests everywhere were rallying
forces to Itzacoatl's support, and at any instant we might be attacked.
As he spoke he drew us away with him towards the street, where the main
body of his men still remained--for only a small part of them had joined
in scaling the roof, and so taking the enemy by surprise in the rear.

"But what of Pablo, our young companion?" I asked, stopping short as I
spoke.

"My men are looking for him; they will find him in a moment; he surely
is safe; he may be already outside. Come."

The possibility that Pablo truly might be outside of the building was
the only argument that could have induced us to leave it without him;
and that possibility was so reasonable a one that we made no more delay.
Indeed, we fully realized the necessity for promptness. From all parts
of the city came a humming, angry sound, which assured us that
everywhere the people were aroused; and Tizoc bade us arm ourselves with
what weapons we could use most effectively among those which were
scattered about the pavement of the court-yard, as we surely would have
need of weapons soon. A sword was the only instrument of warfare of
which I had knowledge--which knowledge was acquired during my German
student days--and I took, therefore, one of the heavy maccuahuitls; and
the others also, excepting Fray Antonio, similarly armed themselves,
each with a sword that they found lying beside the dead hand that never
would wield it more. It was as we obeyed Tizoc's order that we saw how
fierce and how bloody the fight had been; for the court-yard was red
with blood, like a slaughter-house, and over the stones everywhere dead
bodies were lying, all cut and gashed with ghastly wounds. Excepting a
few of Tizoc's men, who had bound up their hurts, and who staggered
along with us, not a wounded man remained alive; whence we inferred that
the fight had been waged on strictly barbarous principles, and that no
quarter had been given. And