e. All that the garrison could hope was to defend
their position. So furiously did the natives attack that, for a
time, they forced their way into the entrenchments; but the
Spaniards, whose turn it was to fight with the bravery of despair,
fell upon them with such fury that none of those who had gained an
entry returned.

Cortez now sent to Montezuma, to request him to interpose, as he
had done before, between them and his people. The emperor refused
to interfere. He had viewed the desperate fighting of the last two
days with bitter humiliation. He had seen his brother Cuitlahua
leading on his troops, with the greatest gallantry; while he
himself, thanks to his own conduct, was a helpless prisoner. He
mourned over the terrible losses his people were suffering; and the
fact that his kindness to the Spaniards had brought upon him
nothing but ill treatment and insult at their hands, had earned him
the contempt of his people, and had involved his country in
misfortune and ruin, cut him to the heart.

"What have I to do with Malinzin?" he said coldly. "I desire only
to die."

When still further urged, he added:

"It is useless. They will neither believe me, nor the false words
and promises of Malinzin. You will never leave these walls alive."

On being assured that the Spaniards would willingly depart, and
leave the country, if their assailants would open a way to them, he
at last consented to address the people. Clothing himself in his
richest robes of state, he ascended the central turret of the
palace; surrounded by a guard of Spaniards, and accompanied by
several Aztec nobles. When he was seen, the din of war ceased as if
by magic. A dead silence fell upon the multitude, and they knelt
and prostrated themselves before the sovereign they had so long
held in the deepest reverence.

But when he addressed them, assuring them that he was a guest, and
not a prisoner, of the Spaniards; and ordered them to lay down
their arms, and to allow the Spaniards to march to the coast,
indignation at his cowardice overpowered their feelings of
reverence and respect. They burst into taunts and execrations, and
a moment later a storm of missiles were hurled at the man who had
betrayed them.

The Spanish guards, seeing the effect his presence had produced,
had stood aside, to enable him the better to be seen; and before
they could close around him, and cover him with their shields,
three missiles struck him; one, a stone hurled f