p. His brief labours are accomplished, and soiled with
sin and sorrow, he has gone to thee. Thou gavest him joys to taste
but not to drink; the glory of empire passed before his eyes like the
madness of a dream. With tears and with prayers to thee he took up
his load, with happiness he laid it down. Where his forefathers went,
thither he has followed, nor can he return to us. Our fire is an ash and
our lamp is darkness. Those who wore his purple before him bequeathed to
him the intolerable weight of rule, and he in his turn bequeaths it to
another. Truly, he should give thee praise, thou king of kings, master
of the stars, that standest alone, who hast lifted from his shoulders so
great a burden, and from his brow this crown of woes, paying him peace
for war and rest for labour.

'O god our hope, choose now a servant to succeed him, a man after thine
own heart, who shall not fear nor falter, who shall toil and not be
weary, who shall lead thy people as a mother leads her children. Lord of
lords, give grace to Guatemoc thy creature, who is our choice. Seal him
to thy service, and as thy priest let him sit upon thy earthly throne
for his life days. Let thy foes become his footstool, let him exalt thy
glory, proclaim thy worship, and protect thy kingdom. Thus have I prayed
to thee in the name of the nation. O god, thy will be done!'

When the high priest had made an end of his prayer, the first of the
four great electors rose, saying:

'Guatemoc, in the name of god and with the voice of the people of
Anahuac, we summon you to the throne of Anahuac. Long may you live and
justly may you rule, and may the glory be yours of beating back into the
sea those foes who would destroy us. Hail to you, Guatemoc, Emperor of
the Aztecs and of their vassal tribes.' And all the three hundred of the
council of confirmation repeated in a voice of thunder, 'Hail to you,
Guatemoc, Emperor!'

Now the prince himself stood forward and spoke:

'You lords of election, and you, princes, generals, nobles and captains
of the council of confirmation, hear me. May the gods be my witness
that when I entered this place I had no thought or knowledge that I was
destined to so high an honour as that which you would thrust upon me.
And may the gods be my witness again that were my life my own, and not a
trust in the hands of this people, I would say to you, "Seek on and find
one worthier to fill the throne." But my life is not my own. Anahuac
calls her