The dawn was flaring in
the eastern sky, and by its glimmer I found my path down the empty
corridors, till at length I came to the curtains of my sleeping place.
I drew them and passed through. There, far up the room, the faint light
gleaming on her snowy dress, her raven hair and ornaments of gold, stood
Otomie my bride.
I went towards her, and as I came she glided to meet me with
outstretched arms. Presently they were about my neck and her kiss was on
my brow.
'Now all is done, my love and lord,' she whispered, 'and come good or
ill, or both, we are one till death, for such vows as ours cannot be
broken.'
'All is done indeed, Otomie, and our oaths are lifelong, though other
oaths have been broken that they might be sworn,' I answered.
Thus then I, Thomas Wingfield, was wed to Otomie, princess of the
Otomie, Montezuma's daughter.
CHAPTER XXIV
THE NIGHT OF FEAR
Long before I awoke that day the commands of the council had been
carried out, and the bridges in the great causeways were broken down
wherever dykes crossed the raised roads that ran through the waters of
the lake. That afternoon also I went dressed as an Indian warrior with
Guatemoc and the other generals, to a parley which was held with Cortes,
who took his stand on the same tower of the palace that Montezuma had
stood on when the arrow of Guatemoc struck him down.
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