over his
person. On his left foot were the delicate feathers of the humming-bird,
which gave its name to the dread deity. The most conspicuous ornament
was a chain of gold and silver hearts alternate, suspended round his
neck, emblematical of the sacrifice in which he most delighted. A more
unequivocal evidence of this was afforded by three human hearts that now
lay smoking on the altar before him.

"The adjoining sanctuary was dedicated to a milder deity. This was
Tezcatlipoca, who created the world, next in honor to that invisible
being the Supreme God, who was represented by no image, and confined by
no temple. He was represented as a young man, and his image of polished
black stone was richly garnished with gold plates and ornaments. But the
homage to this god was not always of a more refined or merciful
character than that paid to his carnivorous brother."

According to Diaz, whom we have already quoted, the stench of human gore
in both those chapels was more intolerable than that of all the
slaughter-houses in Castile. Glad to escape into the open air, Cortes
expressed wonder that a great and wise prince like Montezuma could have
faith "in such evil spirits as these idols, the representatives of the
devil! Permit us to erect here the true cross, and place the images of
the Blessed Virgin and her Son in these sanctuaries; you will soon see
how your false gods will shrink before them!"

This extraordinary speech of the general shocked Montezuma, who, in
reproof, said: "Had I thought you would have offered this outrage to the
gods of the Aztecs, I would not have admitted you into their presence."

Cortes, as a general, had some of the great qualities of Napoleon, but
he also resembled him occasionally in a singular lack of delicacy and
good taste. We do not, however, find that he ever showed such mean
malignity as the French general did when persecuting Madame de Stael,
because in her Germany she had omitted to mention his campaigns and
administration.

Within the same enclosure, Cortes and his companions visited a temple
dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, a god referred to already. Other buildings
served as seminaries for the instruction of youth of both sexes; and
according to the Spanish accounts of the teaching and management of
these institutions there was "the greatest care for morals and the most
blameless deportment."

SEIZURE OF MONTEZUMA

After being guest of the Mexican Emperor for a week, Cortes resolve