“Leave the sot, my pretty, and come and walk with us,” and he caught her by the arm. But she turned on him with so fierce a look that he let her go again astonished, and we staggered on till the corner of another house hid us from their view. Here I sank to the ground overcome with pain, for while the soldiers were in sight, I was obliged to use my wounded foot lest they should suspect. But Otomie pulled me up, saying:
“Alas! beloved, we must pass on or perish.”
I rose groaning, and by what efforts I reached the south gate I cannot describe, though I thought that I must die before I came there. At last it was before us, and as chance would have it, the Spanish guard were asleep in the guardhouse. Three Tlascalans only were crouched over a little fire, their zerapes or blankets about their heads, for the dawn was chilly.
“Open the gates, dogs!” I said in a proud voice.
Seeing a Spanish soldier one of them rose to obey, then paused and said:
“Why, and by whose orders?”
I could not see the man’s face because of the blanket, but his voice sounded familiar to me and I grew afraid. Still I must speak.
“Why?—because I am drunk and wish to lie without till I grow sober. By whose orders? By mine, I am an officer of the day, and if you disobey I’ll have you flogged till you never ask another question.”
“Shall I call the Teules within?” said the man sulkily to his companion.
“No,” he answered; “the lord Sarceda is weary and gave orders that he should not be awakened without good cause. Keep them in or let them through as you will, but do not wake him.”