Now Montezuma groaned aloud and I groaned, for we saw that the face was the thin pale face of the princess Papantzin--Papantzin who had lain four days in the grave.

On she came toward us, gliding like one who walks in her sleep, till she stopped before the bush in the shadow of which we stood.

Now Papantzin, or the ghost of Papantzin, looked at us with blind eyes, that is with eyes that were open and yet did not seem to see.
'Are you there, Montezuma, my brother ?' she said in the voice of Papantzin; 'surely I feel your presence though I cannot see you.' Now Montezuma stepped from the shadow and stood face to face with the dead.
'Who are you ?' he said, 'who wear the shape of one dead and are dressed in the garments of the dead ?' 'I am Papantzin,' she answered, 'and I am risen out of death to bring you a message, Montezuma, my brother.' 'What message do you bring me ?' he asked hoarsely.
'I bring you a message of doom, my brother.

Your empire shall fall and soon you shall be accompanied to death by tens of thousands of your people.

For four days I have lived among the dead, and there I have seen your false gods which are devils.