A yell of horror rose from them and instantly they opened fire upon us with their pieces and arquebusses, though, because of the shape of the pyramid and of their position beneath it, the storm of shot swept over us, doing us little or no hurt.

Also a great company of them poured across the courtyard, hoping to storm the temple, for they did not know that the road had been broken away.
Now, though the rites of sacrifice never ceased, what with the roar of cannon, the shouts of rage and terror from the Spaniards, the hiss of musket balls, and the crackling of flames from houses which they had fired to give them more light, and the sound of chanting, the turmoil and confusion grew so great as to render the carrying out of my purpose easier than I had hoped.

By this time my friend, the captain of the Otomie, was at my side, and with him several men whom he could trust.
Stooping down, with a few swift blows of a knife I cut the ropes 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.