than mortal
power, to claim their original inheritance. For his part, he was fully
convinced that that time had now arrived--that the Spaniards were the
men of destiny foretold by a long line of presages and traditions, and
that he was fully prepared to acknowledge the king of Castile as his
lord, and pay allegiance to him as such.

"And recognize me," interposed the wily Castilian, "as his accredited
ambassador, and representative?"

The monarch assented.

The Aztec nobles, who surrounded the throne, were thunderstruck at the
humble tone, and humiliating attitude assumed by their once proud and
imperious lord. But they were accustomed to unqualified and
unquestioning submission to the word of the king. They accordingly, at
his command, gave a full assent to all that he had said, and agreed to
recognize Cortez as the representative of their new sovereign.
Guatimozin left the hall in disgust, and hastened to Iztapalapan, to
report the progress of their humiliation to Cuitlahua.

Even with this arrangement, which had been accomplished so much more
easily than he had expected, Cortez was by no means satisfied. He was
still in the power of the Mexican, and could never feel safe in the
position he held, without some substantial pledge, that the peace of the
city would be preserved, and the ground he had already secured be left
to him in undisturbed possession. To secure this, he conceived and
executed a bolder and more audacious measure than that which we have
just related. Soliciting another and a private interview with the
Emperor, and directing his best and bravest cavaliers, with some of
their chosen men, to keep near and about the palace, and be in readiness
to sustain and defend him, if any resistance or outbreak should follow
his daring attempt, he entered the royal presence. As the Spaniards
always carried their arms, it excited no suspicion, to see them on this
occasion fully equipped.

This disposition of his men and officers being effected, the bold
cavalier addressed himself, in a stern voice, to the Emperor, charging
him with secretly designing the destruction of his guests, and alleging,
in support of the charge, some of the incidents already related, and
others of more recent occurrence, in which some of the vassals of
Montezuma had surprised and slain a party of Spaniards, who relied upon
their hospitality. These were artfully woven into a tale of imaginary
wrongs, for which he boldly pretended to clai