he would endeavour to persuade them to
be contented with one of the sanctuaries of the teocalli. If that were
not granted, they should be obliged to take it by force and to throw
down the idols in the face of the city. Montezuma, still greatly
disturbed, promised to confer with the priests, and in the end the
Spaniards were allowed to take possession of one of the sanctuaries, in
which, when it had been purified, an altar was raised, surmounted by a
crucifix and the imago of the Virgin; its walls were decorated with
garlands of fresh flowers, and an old soldier was stationed to watch
over it. Then the whole army moved in solemn procession up the winding
ascent of the pyramid, and mass was celebrated by Father Olmedo and
another priest, while the Aztecs looked on with mingled curiosity and
repugnance. For a nation will endure any outrage sooner than that which
attacks its religion, and this profanation touched a feeling in the
natives which the priests were not slow to take advantage of.

Soon the Spaniards noticed a change in Montezuma. He was grave instead
of cheerful, and avoided their society. Many conferences went on between
him and the priests and nobles, at which even Orteguilla, his favourite
page, was not allowed to be present. Presently Cortes received a summons
to appear before the emperor, who told him that his predictions had come
to pass, his gods were offended, and threatened to forsake the city if
the sacrilegious strangers were not driven from it, or sacrificed on
their altars as an expiation. 'If you have any regard for your safety,'
he continued, 'you will leave the country without delay. I have only to
raise my finger, and every Aztec in the land will rise against you.'

Cortes knew well enough that this was true, but, concealing his dismay,
he replied that he should much regret to leave the capital so
precipitately, especially when he had no ships to take him back to his
own country. He should also regret that if he quitted it under these
circumstances he should be driven to taking the emperor with him.
Montezuma was evidently troubled by this last suggestion, and finally
offered to send workmen to the coast to build ships under the direction
of the Spaniards, while he restrained the impatience of his people with
the assurance that the white men would leave their land as soon as they
were ready. This was accordingly done, and the work went forward at Vera
Cruz with great apparent alacrity, but those