ess your wife,
I have brought another dress, indeed I am ashamed to offer it, but it is
the only one that will not be noted at this hour; also, Teule, I bring
you a sword, that which was taken from you, though I think that once it
had another owner.'

Now while she spoke Marina undid her bundle, and there in it were the
dresses and the sword, the same that I had taken from the Spaniard Diaz
in the massacre of the noche triste. First she drew out the woman's robe
and handed it to Otomie, and I saw that it was such a robe as among
the Indians is worn by the women who follow camps, a robe with red and
yellow in it. Otomie saw it also and drew back.

'Surely, girl, you have brought a garment of your own in error,' she
said quietly, but in such a fashion as showed more of the savage heart
that is native to her race than she often suffered to be seen; 'at the
least I cannot wear such robes.'

'It seems that I must bear too much,' answered Marina, growing wroth at
last, and striving to keep back the tears that started to her eyes. 'I
will away and leave you;' and she began to roll up her bundle.

'Forgive her, Marina,' I said hastily, for the desire to escape grew on
me every minute; 'sorrow has set an edge upon her tongue.' Then turning
to Otomie I added, 'I pray you be more gentle, wife, for my sake if not
for your own. Marina is our only hope.'

'Would that she had left us to die in peace, husband. Well, so be it,
for your sake I will put on these garments of a drab. But how shall we
escape out of this place and the camp? Will the door be opened to us,
and the guards removed, and if we pass them, can you walk, husband?'

'The doors will not be opened, lady,' said Marina, 'for those wait
without, who will see that they are locked when I have passed them. But
there will be nothing to fear from the guard, trust to me for it. See,
the bars of this window are but of wood, that sword will soon sever
them, and if you are seen you must play the part of a drunken soldier
being guided to his quarters by a woman. For the rest I know nothing,
save that I run great risk for your sakes, since if it is discovered
that I have aided you, then I shall find it hard to soften the rage of
Cortes, who, the war being won,' and she sighed, 'does not need me now
so much as once he did.'

'I can make shift to hop on my right foot,' I said, 'and for the rest we
must trust to fortune. It can give us no worse gifts than those we have
already.'