‘Ho there!’ cried de Garcia in Spanish. ‘I desire to speak with the leader of the rebel Otomie on behalf of the Captain Bernal Diaz, who commands this army.’
Now I mounted on the wall by means of a ladder which was at hand, and answered, ‘Speak on, I am the man you seek.’
‘You know Spanish well, friend,’ said de Garcia, starting and looking at me keenly beneath his bent brows. ‘Say now, where did you learn it? And what is your name and lineage?’
‘I learned it, Juan de Garcia, from a certain Donna Luisa, whom you knew in your days of youth. And my name is Thomas Wingfield.’
Now de Garcia reeled in his saddle and swore a great oath.
‘Mother of God!’ he said, ‘years ago I was told that you had taken up your abode among some savage tribe, but since then I have been far, to Spain and back indeed, and I deemed that you were dead, Thomas Wingfield. My luck is good in truth, for it has been one of the great sorrows of my life that you have so often escaped me, renegade. Be sure that this time there shall be no escape.
‘I know well that there will be no escape for one or other of us, Juan de Garcia,’ I answered. ‘Now we play the last round of the game, but do not boast, for God alone knows to whom the victory shall be given. You have prospered long, but a day may be at hand when your prosperity shall cease with your breath. To your errand, Juan de Garcia.’
For a moment he sat silent, pulling at his pointed beard, and watching him I thought that I could see the shadow of a half- forgotten fear creep into his eyes. If so, it was soon gone, for lifting his head, he spoke boldly and clearly.
‘This is my message to you, Thomas Wingfield, and to such of the Otomie dogs with whom you herd as we have left alive to-day. The Captain Bernal Diaz offers you terms on behalf of his Excellency the viceroy.’
‘What are his terms?’ I asked.
‘Merciful enough to such pestilent rebels and heathens,’ he answered sneering. ‘Surrender your city without condition, and the viceroy, in his clemency, will accept the surrender. Nevertheless, lest you should say afterwards that faith has been broken with you, be it known to you, that you shall not go unpunished for your many crimes. This is the punishment that shall be inflicted on you. All those who had part or parcel in the devilish murder of that holy saint Father Pedro, shall be burned at the stake, and the eyes of all those who beheld it shall be put out. Such of the leaders of the Otomie as the judges may select shall be hanged publicly, among them yourself, Cousin Wingfield, and more particularly the woman Otomie, daughter of Montezuma the late king. For the rest, the dwellers in the City of Pines must surrender their wealth into the treasury of the viceroy, and they themselves, men, women and children, shall be led from the city and be distributed according to the viceroy’s pleasure upon the estates of such of the Spanish settlers as he may select, there to learn the useful arts of husbandry and mining. These are the conditions of surrender, and I am commanded to say that an hour is given you in which to decide whether you accept or reject them.’
‘And if we reject them?’
‘Then the Captain Bernal Diaz has orders to sack and destroy this city, and having given it over for twelve hours to the mercy of the Tlascalans and other faithful Indian allies, to collect those who may be left living within it, and bring them to the city of Mexico, there to be sold as slaves.’
‘Good,’ I said; ‘you shall have your answer in an hour.’ Now, leaving the gate guarded, I hurried to the palace, sending messengers as I went to summon such of the council of the city as remained alive. At the door of the palace I met Otomie, who greeted me fondly, for after hearing of our disaster she had hardly looked to see me again.