in keeping with the uniform mildness and gentleness of her spirit.
Separated from her adored parent, and banished from the city of her love
and her pride, she began to feel more deeply than she had ever done, the
terror of those dark omens which had clouded her destiny, and marked her
out as the doomed Princess of Anahuac. While she could cling to her
father, and feel that she was to share all that might befal him, and
perhaps, by sharing it, extract some portion of the bitterness from the
cup which he was compelled to drink, she was calm and hopeful. But now,
the sheet-anchor of her soul was gone, and she was drifting, at the
mercy of the waves, she knew not whither.

"My sweet cousin," said Guatimozin gently, as he arrested her flying
step, "why this sudden abandonment to grief and despair. Dark as the
clouds may be over our heads, all is not lost. Know you not, my love,
that ten thousand times ten thousand brave hearts and strong arms are
pledged, by every bond of loyalty and love, to rush to the rescue, the
moment that any violence is offered to the sacred person of our lord. Be
assured not a hair of his head shall be touched."

"Ah! my brave Guatimozin! I know full well your courage and your zeal.
But of what avail to us will be the direst vengeance your arms can wreak
on the strangers, after the violence is done, and the honored head of
my father--oh! that I should live to speak it!--laid low at their feet!"

"Fear not, my beloved, they dare not, with all their boasted power, they
dare not lay a rude hand upon that sacred person. They know, they feel,
that they are treading on a mighty volcano, that may burst out at any
moment, and overwhelm them in hopeless destruction. It is this sense of
impending danger only that has induced them to invite the Emperor to
their quarters, and so to urge their suit, that he could not, as their
professed friend, deny it. While he is there, they will feel safe, for
his hand alone can stay the pent up fires, that they break not forth at
once. Fear not. I go to-night to Iztapalapan, to confer with your royal
uncle, the intrepid Cuitlahua. The noble Cacama joins us there,
convinced already that his was a mistaken policy, when he counselled
your father to receive the strangers courteously, and treat them as
friends."

"And what can Cacama do?"

"That is yet to be seen. He is convinced of his error, and is ready to
atone for it with his life. With Cacama, with Cuitlahua, with a tho