第56部分(第5/7 頁)

　any　articles　that　might　be　found。　Full　of　hope　that　it　would　fall　to　our　lot　to　discover　the　golden　head　of　Montezuma　and　the　jars　of　treasure　and　of　jewels；　with　the　help　of　Senor　Anselmo　we　were　making　our　preparations　once　more　to　clear　that　shaft　when　the　terrible　news　of　which　I　have　spoken　arrived。　After　its　receipt　I　had　no　heart　to　enter　upon　the　adventure。

A　year　or　so　later　Jebb　returned　to　Mexico　to　find；　I　think；　that　the　Mexican　concerned　was　dead　and　that　Anselmo　had　vanished；　none　knew　where。　It　was　suggested　that　he　had　been　murdered　by　Indians　who　knew　that　he　held　the　secret　of　their　ancient　wealth。　But　whether　this　was　so　or　not　I　cannot　say。

The　site　of　the　shaft　is；　I　suppose；　now　lost；　although　of　course　some　of　the　peons　that　assisted　in　the　clearing　of　the　pit　may　remember　its　whereabouts；　if　they　still　live。　I　understand；　however；　that　only　Anselmo　and　the　Mexican　actually　destroyed　the　covering　stone　engraved　with　an　owl　and　explored　the　passage　and　flight　of　steps　beyond。　The　peons　probably　thought　that　they　were　really　digging　for　sulphur　without　the　permission　of　the　proprietor　of　the　land。

The　story　as　it　stands　is；　I　admit；　like　most　such　stories；　rather　vague；　but　for　my　part　I　believe；　as　did　the　late　Mr。　Jebb；　that　Montezuma’s　treasure　or　a　large　part　of　it　remains　buried　in　this　place。　That　it　is　buried　somewhere　is　not　to　be　doubted；　for　the　Spaniards　never　recovered　what　was　lost　in　the　rout　of　the　Noche　triste。　Indeed；　my　impression　is；　although　I　cannot　verify　this　without　rereading　all　the　old　chroniclers；　that　they　put　many　Indians　to　the　torture；　including　Guatemoc　himself；　as　I　have　described　in　“Montezuma’s　Daughter；”　in　order　to　force　them　to　reveal　its　hiding…place。　However　this　may　be；　I　doubt　whether