45

Frequent embassies and rich presents to the
Spaniards--Montezuma, fearing to act openly, plots their
destruction secretly--Cortez cautioned by the
Tlascalans--His prudence and strict
discipline--Cuitlahua urges Montezuma to bold decided
measures--Scene in the royal garden--Mysterious
chant--Warning--Its effect--Montezuma roused to
action--Energy of Cuitlahua--The army in motion to repel
the enemy--Confident of victory--The monarch changes his
plan--A stratagem--Cholula--The army arrested in its
march--The Spaniards in Cholula--Hospitable
reception--Sudden change--Suspicion of
treachery--Perilous position and bold bearing of
Cortez--His demand upon the Cholulan princes--Charges
them with conspiracy--Their alarm and apology--Terrible
massacre--Conflict on the great Teocalli--The Spaniards
victorious--Painful position of Cuitlahua and his
army--Tlascalans in Cholula.

CHAPTER IV.

AGITATIONS IN THE CAPITAL--THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD--THE
SPANIARDS STEADILY ADVANCING. 65

Montezuma's duplicity--Shuts himself up in
despair--Divided counsels--Mistaken policy--Triumphant
advance of Cortez--His ambitious views--His military
caution--Montezuma in his family--His youngest
daughter--Her loveliness--Her clouded destiny--The royal
household--A family scene--A dark superstition versus a
cheerful faith--Excursion on the lake--The royal
cortege--The Princess--Guatimozin--The dream and its
echo--Prophecy--Signal and sudden return--Preparation to
receive the Spaniards--Cacama's embassy to
Cortez--Exchange of courtesies--Reception of the
strangers at Iztapalapan--Lofty bearing of
Cuitlahua--The Capital and its environs.

CHAPTER V.

ARRIVAL OF THE SPANIARDS AT THE CAPITAL--THEIR RECEPTION
BY MONTEZUMA--DETERMINED HOSTILITY OF GUATIMOZIN. 81

Singular relative position of the Spaniard and the
Aztec--The power and timidity of the one, and the danger
and boldness of the other--Speculation--Cortez
advancing--The Grand Causeway--The Fort of Xoloc--The
Emperor's retinue--Abject deference of his
lords--Magnificent palanquin--His personal appearance
and costume--The reception--Exchange of
presents--Montezuma retires--Cuitlahua escorts the
Spaniards to their quarters--Their admiration on seeing
the splendor of the