'
The priest gnashed his teeth with rage, and glared first at the creeping
point of light and then over his shoulder at the advancing battle.
Slowly the ring of warriors closed in upon us, slowly the golden ray
crept up my breast till its outer rim touched the red circle painted
upon my heart. Again the priest heaved up his awful knife, again I shut
my eyes, and again I heard the shrill scream of the astronomer, 'Not
yet, not yet, or your gods are doomed!'
Then I heard another sound. It was the voice of Otomie crying for help.
'Save us, Teules; they murder us!' she shrieked in so piercing a note
that it reached the ears of the Spaniards, for one shouted in answer
and in the Castilian tongue, 'On, my comrades, on! The dogs do murder on
their altars!'
Then there was a mighty rush and the defending Aztecs were swept in upon
the altar, lifting the priest of sacrifice from his feet and throwing
him across my body. Thrice that rush came like a rush of the sea, and
each time the stand of the Aztecs weakened. Now their circle was broken
and the swords of the Spaniards flashed up on every side, and now the
red ray lay within the ring upon my heart.
'Smite, priest of Tezcat,' screamed the voice of the astronomer; 'smite
home for the glory of your gods!'
With a fearful yell the priest lifted the knife; I saw the golden
sunbeam that rested full upon my heart shine on it.
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