t I will play you at dice for my kingdoms which you and
your forefathers have ever desired to win.'

'For what wager?' asked Montezuma.

'I will play you thus,' answered Neza. 'You shall stake three fighting
cocks, of which, should I win, I ask the spurs only. I set against them
all the wide empire of Tezcuco.'

'A small stake,' said Montezuma; 'cocks are many and kingdoms few.'

'Still, it shall serve our turn,' answered the aged king, 'for know that
we play against fate. As the game goes, so shall the issue be. If you
win my kingdoms all is well; if I win the cocks, then good-bye to
the glory of Anahuac, for its people will cease to be a people, and
strangers shall possess the land.'

'Let us play and see,' said Montezuma, and they went down to the place
that is called tlachco, where the games are set. Here they began the
match with dice and at first all went well for Montezuma, so that he
called aloud that already he was lord of Tezcuco.

'May it be so!' answered the aged Neza, and from that moment the chance
changed. For strive as he would, Montezuma could not win another point,
and presently the set was finished, and Neza had won the cocks. Now the
music played, and courtiers came forward to give the king homage on his
success. But he rose sighing, and said:

'I had far sooner lose my kingdoms than have won these fowls, for if I
had lost my kingdoms they would still have passed into the hands of one
of my own race. Now alas! my possessions and his must come under the
hand of strangers, who shall cast down our gods and bring our names to
nothing.'

And having spoken thus, he rose, and taking farewell of the emperor, he
departed for his own land, where, as it chanced, he died very shortly,
without living to see the fulfilment of his fears.

On the morrow of his departure came further accounts of the doings of
the Spaniards that plunged Montezuma into still greater alarm. In his
terror he sent for an astronomer, noted throughout the land for the
truth of his divinations. The astronomer came, and was received by the
emperor privately. What he told him I do not know, but at least it was
nothing pleasant, for that very night men were commanded to pull down
the house of this sage, who was buried in its ruins.

Two days after the death of the astronomer, Montezuma bethought
him that, as he believed, I also was a Teule, and could give him
information. So at the hour of sunset he sent for me, bidding me walk
with