s which
bound the Spaniards. Then we gathered ourselves into a knot, twelve of
us or more, and in the centre of the knot we set the five Spaniards.
This done, I drew my sword and cried:

'The Teules storm the temple!' which was true, for already their long
line was rushing up the winding path. 'The Teules storm the temple, I go
to stop them,' and straightway we sped across the open space.

None saw us, or if they saw us, none hindered us, for all the company
were intent upon the consummation of a fresh sacrifice; moreover, the
tumult was such, as I afterwards discovered, that we were scarcely
noticed. Two minutes passed, and our feet were set upon the winding way,
and now I breathed again, for we were beyond the sight of the women.
On we rushed swiftly as the cramped limbs of the Spaniards would carry
them, till presently we reached that angle in the path where the breach
began. The attacking Spaniards had already come to the further side of
the gap, for though we could not see them, we could hear their cries
of rage and despair as they halted helplessly and understood that their
comrades were beyond their aid.

'Now we are sped,' said the Spaniard with whom I had spoken; 'the road
is gone, and it must be certain death to try the side of the pyramid.'

'Not so,' I answered; 'some fifty feet below the path still runs, and
one by one we will lower you to it with this rope.'

Then we set to work. Making the cord fast beneath the arms of a soldier
we let him down gently, till he came to the path, and was received there
by his comrades as a man returned from the dead. The last to be lowered
was that Spaniard with whom I had spoken.

'Farewell,' he said, 'and may the blessing of God be on you for this act
of mercy, renegade though you are. Say, now, will you not come with me?
I set my life and honour in pledge for your safety. You tell me that
you are still a Christian man. Is that a place for Christians?' and he
pointed upwards.

'No, indeed,' I answered, 'but still I cannot come, for my wife and son
are there, and I must return to die with them if need be. If you bear me
any gratitude, strive in return to save their lives, since for my own I
care but little.'

'That I will,' he said, and then we let him down among his friends, whom
he reached in safety.

Now we returned to the temple, giving it out that the Spaniards were in
retreat, having failed to cross the breach in the roadway. Here before
the temple the org