And now! Now we came two fugitives from the vengeance of the Teules, I borne in a litter by four tired soldiers, while Otomie, the princess of this people, still clad in her wanton's robe, at which the women mocked, for she had been able to come by no other, tramped at my side, since there were none to carry her, and the inhabitants of the place cursed us as the authors of their woes.

Nor did we know if they would stop at words.
At length we crossed the square beneath the shadow of the teocalli, and reached the ancient and sculptured palace as the light failed, and the smoke on Xaca, the holy hill, began to glow with the fire in its heart.
Here small preparation had been made to receive us, and that night we supped by the light of a torch upon tortillas or meal cakes and water, like the humblest in the land.

Then we crept to our rest, and as I lay awake because of the pain of my hurts, I heard Otomie, who thought that I slept, break into low sobbing at my side.

Her proud spirit was humbled at last, and she, whom I had never known to weep except once, when our firstborn died in the siege, wept bitterly.
'Why do you sorrow thus, Otomie ?' I asked at length.
'I did not know that you were awake, husband,' she sobbed in answer, 'or I would have checked my grief.

Husband, I sorrow over all that has befallen us and my people--also, though these are but little things, because you are brought low and treated as a man of no estate, and of the cold comfort that we find here.' 'You have cause, wife,' I answered.