ishman and I fight with the
Aztecs that I may slay him whom you name Sarceda. But with you I have no
quarrel, Bernal Diaz. Begone and escape if you can. No, I will keep the
sword with your leave.'

'Englishman, Spaniard, Aztec, or devil,' grunted the man as he drew
himself from his bed of ooze, 'you are a good fellow, and I promise you
that if I live through this, and it should ever come about that I get
YOU by the throat, I will remember the turn you did me. Farewell;' and
without more ado he rushed up the bank and plunged into a knot of his
flying countrymen, leaving his good sword in my hand. I strove to follow
him that I might find my enemy, who once more had escaped me by craft,
but my strength failed me, for de Garcia's sword had bitten deep and I
bled much. So I must sit where I was till a canoe came and bore me back
to Otomie to be nursed, and ten days went by before I could walk again.

This was my share in the victory of the noche triste. Alas! it was a
barren triumph, though more than five hundred of the Spaniards were
slain and thousands of their allies. For there was no warlike skill or
discipline among the Aztecs, and instead of following the Spaniards till
not one of them remained alive, they stayed to plunder the dead and drag
away the living to sacrifice. Also this day of revenge was a sad one
to Otomie, seeing that two of her brothers, Montezuma's sons whom the
Spaniards held in hostage, perished with them in the fray.

As for de Garcia I could not learn what had become of him, nor whether
he was dead or living.

CHAPTER XXV

THE BURYING OF MONTEZUMA'S TREASURE

Cuitlahua was crowned Emperor of the Aztecs in succession to his brother
Montezuma, while I lay sick with the wound given me by the sword of
de Garcia, and also with that which I had received on the altar of
sacrifice. This hurt had found no time to heal, and in the fierce
fighting on the Night of Fear it burst open and bled much. Indeed it
gave me trouble for years, and to this hour I feel it in the autumn
season. Otomie, who nursed me tenderly, and so strange is the heart
of woman, even seemed to be consoled in her sorrow at the loss of her
father and nearest kin, because I had escaped the slaughter and won
fame, told me of the ceremony of the crowning, which was splendid
enough. Indeed the Aztecs were almost mad with rejoicing because the
Teules had gone at last. They forgot, or seemed to forget, the loss of
thousands of their b