esently, as we
watched and he read, Montezuma groaned aloud, and casting down the
writing he covered his face with his hands. As it chanced it fell near
to where I stood, and I saw painted over it rude pictures of ships of
the Spanish rig, and of men in the Spanish armour. Then I understood why
Montezuma groaned. The Spaniards had landed on his shores!

Now some of his counsellors approached him to console him, but he thrust
them aside, saying:

'Let me mourn--the doom that was foretold is fallen upon the children
of Anahuac. The children of Quetzal muster on our shores and slay my
people. Let me mourn, I say.'

At that moment another messenger came from the palace, having grief
written on his face.

'Speak,' said Montezuma.

'O king, forgive the tongue that must tell such tidings. Your royal
sister Papantzin was seized with terror at yonder dreadful sight,' and
he pointed to the heavens; 'she lies dying in the palace!'

Now when the emperor heard that his sister whom he loved was dying, he
said nothing, but covering his face with his royal mantle, he passed
slowly back to the palace.

And all the while the crimson light gleamed and sparkled in the east
like some monstrous and unnatural dawn, while the temple of Quetzal
burned fiercely in the city beneath.

Now, I turned to the princess Otomie, who had stood by my side
throughout, overcome with wonder and trembling.

'Did I not say that this country was accursed, princess of the Otomie?'

'You said it, Teule,' she answered, 'and it is accursed.'

Then we went into the palace, and even in this hour of fear, after me
came the minstrels as before.

CHAPTER XVII

THE ARISING OF PAPANTZIN

On the morrow Papantzin died, and was buried with great pomp that
same evening in the burial-ground at Chapoltepec, by the side of the
emperor's royal ancestors. But, as will be seen, she was not content
with their company. On that day also, I learned that to be a god is not
all pleasure, since it was expected of me that I must master various
arts, and chiefly the horrid art of music, to which I never had any
desire. Still my own wishes were not allowed to weigh in the matter,
for there came to me tutors, aged men who might have found better
employment, to instruct me in the use of the lute, and on this
instrument I must learn to strum. Others there were also, who taught me
letters, poetry, and art, as they were understood among the Aztecs, and
all this knowledge