'
'Love and despair gave it to me, and I pray that I may never have such
another need. Do not speak of it, husband, for this is more horrible to
me than all that has been before. One thing comforts me, however; I did
not kill him, the sword twisted in my hand and I believe that he was
but stunned. Then we fled a little way, and looking back I saw that two
other Tlascalans, companions of the senseless man, were following us
and him. Presently, they came up to where he lay and stared at him. Then
they started on our tracks, running hard, and very soon they must have
caught us, for now you could scarcely stir, your mind was gone, and I
had no more strength to carry you. Still we stumbled on till presently,
when the pursuers were within fifty paces of us, I saw armed men, eight
of them, rushing at us from the bushes. They were of my own people, the
Otomies, soldiers that had served under you, who watched the Spanish
camp, and seeing a Spaniard alone they came to slay him. They very
nearly did so indeed, for at first I was so breathless that I could
scarcely speak, but at last in few words I made shift to declare my name
and rank, and your sad plight. By now the two Tlascalans were upon us,
and I called to the men of the Otomie to protect us, and falling on the
Tlascalans before they knew that enemies were there, they killed one of
them and took the other prisoner.
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