re court. A strong guard was placed at each of the three
gates, and the rest had charge of the great guns which were outside the
enclosure, and so placed as to command the roads which led to the
teocalli. The arrangements were hardly completed before the Cholulan
caciques appeared, bringing a larger body of porters than had been
demanded. They were marched at once into the square, which was, as we
have seen, completely lined by the Spanish troops. Cortes then took the
caciques aside, and sternly and abruptly charged them with the
conspiracy, taking care to show that he knew every detail. The Cholulans
were thunderstruck, and gazed with awe upon the strangers who seemed to
have the power of reading their most secret thoughts. They made no
attempt to deny the accusation, but tried to excuse themselves by
throwing the blame on Montezuma. Cortes, however, declared with still
more indignation that such a pretence would not serve them, and that he
would now make such an example of them as should be a warning to the
cities far and near, and then the fatal signal--the firing of a gun--was
given, and in an instant every musket and crossbow was levelled at the
unhappy Cholulans as they stood crowded together in the centre. They
were completely taken by surprise, having heard nothing of what was
going forward, and offered hardly any resistance to the Spanish
soldiers, who followed up the discharge of their pieces by rushing upon
them with their swords and mowing them down in ranks as they stood.

While this dreadful massacre was going on the Cholulans from outside,
attracted by the noise, began a furious assault upon the Spaniards, but
the heavy guns opened fire upon them and swept them off in files as they
rushed on, and in the intervals of reloading the cavalry charged into
their midst. By this time the Tlascalans had come up, having by order of
Cortes bound wreaths of sedge about their heads that they might be the
more easily distinguished from the Cholulans, and they fell upon the
rear of the wretched townsmen, who, thus harassed on all sides, could no
longer maintain their ground. They fled, some to the near buildings,
which were speedily set on fire, others to the temples. One strong body
headed by the priests got possession of the great teocalli. There was,
as you remember, a tradition that if part of the wall was removed the
god would send a flood to overwhelm his enemies. Now the Cholulans
strove with might and main, and a