In countenance they were fierce
and horrible; they wore black robes embroidered with mystic characters
in red, and their long and tangled hair was matted together with some
strange substance. These men, whom all present, including the chief or
cacique, seemed to look on with the utmost reverence, glared at me with
a fierce glee that made my blood run cold. One of them, indeed, tore
open my white robe and placed his filthy hand upon my heart, which beat
quickly enough, counting its throbs aloud while the other nodded at his
words. Afterwards I learned that he was saying that I was very strong.
Glancing round to find the interpretation of this act upon the faces of
those about me, my eyes caught those of the girl Marina, and there was
that in them which left me in little doubt. Horror and pity were written
there, and I knew that some dreadful death overshadowed me. Before
I could do anything, before I could even think, I was seized by the
priests, or pabas as the Indians name them, and dragged from the room,
all the household following us except Marina and the cacique. Now I
found myself in a great square or market place bordered by many fine
houses of stone and lime, and some of mud, which was filling rapidly
with a vast number of people, men women and children, who all stared at
me as I went towards the pyramid on the top of which the fire burned.
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