h anger and outraged
love or pride, and as she passed me I heard her mutter, 'Yes, prince,
you may forget, but I shall not.'

Often since that day I have wondered if some vision of the future
entered into the girl's breast in that hour, or if in her wrath she
spoke at random. I have wondered also whether this scene between her and
Guatemoc had anything to do with the history of her after life; or did
Marina, as she avowed to me in days to come, bring shame and ruin on
her country for the love of Cortes alone? It is hard to say, and perhaps
these things had nothing to do with what followed, for when great events
have happened, we are apt to search out causes for them in the past that
were no cause. This may have been but a passing mood of hers and one
soon put out of mind, for it is certain that few build up the temples
of their lives upon some firm foundation of hope or hate, of desire or
despair, though it has happened to me to do so, but rather take chance
for their architect--and indeed whether they take him or no, he is still
the master builder. Still that Marina did not forget this talk I know,
for in after times I heard her remind this very prince of the words that
had passed between them, ay, and heard his noble answer to her.

Now I have but one more thing to tell of my stay in Tobasco, and then
let me on to Mexico, and to the tale of how Montezuma's daughter became
my wife, and of my further dealings with de Garcia.

On the day of our departure a great sacrifice of slaves was held upon
the teocalli to propitiate the gods, so that they might give us a safe
journey, and also in honour of some festival, for to the festivals of
the Indians there was no end. Thither we went up the sides of the
steep pyramid, since I must look upon these horrors daily. When all was
prepared, and we stood around the stone of sacrifice while the multitude
watched below, that fierce paba who once had felt the beatings of my
heart, came forth from the sanctuary of the god Quetzal and signed to
his companions to stretch the first of the victims on the stone. Then
of a sudden the prince Guatemoc stepped forward, and addressing the
priests, pointed to their chief, and said:

'Seize that man!'

They hesitated, for though he who commanded was a prince of the blood
royal, to lay hands upon a high priest was sacrilege. Then with a smile
Guatemoc drew forth a ring having a dull blue stone set in its bezel,
on which was engraved a strange