How could I save them, I wondered. My power was gone. The
women could not be moved from their work of vengeance; they were mad
with their sufferings. As well might a man try to snatch her prey from a
puma robbed of her whelps, as to turn them from their purpose. With the
men it was otherwise, however. Some of them mingled in the orgie indeed,
but more stood aloof watching with a fearful joy the spectacle in
which they did not share. Near me was a man, a noble of the Otomie, of
something more than my own age. He had always been my friend, and after
me he commanded the warriors of the tribe. I went to him and said,
'Friend, for the sake of the honour of your people, help me to end
this.'
'I cannot, Teule,' he answered, 'and beware how you meddle in the play,
for none will stand by you. Now the women have power, and you see they
use it. They are about to die, but before they die they will do as their
fathers did, for their strait is sore, and though they have been put
aside, the old customs are not forgotten.'
'At the least can we not save these Teules?' I answered.
'Why should you wish to save the Teules? Will they save us some few days
hence, when WE are in their power?'
'Perhaps not,' I said, 'but if we must die, let us die clean from this
shame.'
'What then do you wish me to do, Teule?'
'This: I would have you find some three or four men who are not fallen
into this madness, and with them aid me to loose the Teules, for we
cannot save the others.
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