than a nation. Besides, Montezuma has shown himself unfit to
govern. It is his weakness that has brought things to this pass.
Think you that the white men could ever have advanced beyond the
plateau of Tlascala, had all the forces of Mexico barred the way?
Think you that they could ever have entered the capital, had it
been defended with resolution? One moment he flattered the
strangers and loaded them with gifts; the next he was ready to send
his forces against them. The Cholulans had good reason for
believing that he designed the annihilation of the Whites, if he
did not actually order the attack upon them.

"So on the seacoast. Had the chiefs believed that Montezuma was
really friendly to the whites, would they ever have attacked them?
There were two courses open: he might from the first have received
the Spaniards frankly, and sent a mission to escort them honorably
to the capital; or he might have called upon every man in his
dominion to take up arms, and drive them into the sea. He took
neither. It is he who has brought them here; and it is better, a
thousand times, that he should die than that ruin should fall upon
the country.

"My advice is, that the troops be called out; that messengers be
sent to every city in the valley, bidding them send in their
contingent; and that we march to aid the people of Mexico to
annihilate this handful of treacherous white men."

Cacama was silent. The advice was in accordance with his own
feelings and temperament; but the extreme reverence with which the
Aztecs regarded their emperor paralyzed him.

"We shall see," he said, gloomily. "In a short time we shall know
why Montezuma thus tamely suhmitted to be made a prisoner. He may
have some motives which we cannot fathom. I cannot believe him to
be a coward. No Aztec monarch, yet, has ever shown want of
courage."

Three or four days later, another event occurred which heightened
the fury of the Mexicans against the Spaniards. The cazique who had
attacked the Spaniards on the coast arrived at Mexico, accompanied
by his son and fifteen other chiefs who had acted with them.
Montezuma referred the matter to the examination of Cortez. The
cazique admitted the part he had taken in the attack on the
Spaniards, and did not seek to shelter himself under royal
authority; until sentence of death was passed on him and the other
chiefs, when they all declared that they had acted on the authority
of Montezuma. They were condemned to be