legs, and rolled with
them over the parapet, to the certain death of both.

At length the conflict ceased for want of a victim, and the conquering
Castilian, with a few of his Tlascalan allies, stood alone, in
undisputed possession of this lofty vantage ground. The disheartened
Cholulans, without leaders, without counsellors, seeing their sacred
temple in the hands of their enemies, felt that all was lost. Not
another blow was struck, but every where they bowed in submission to the
irresistible conqueror.

The thunder of the artillery, and the smoke of the burning buildings,
rising in a heavy column to the skies, announced to the Mexican army the
conflict that was raging within the city. But, having orders not to
engage in the fray, unless notified by the Cholulan chiefs that his
assistance was necessary, the brave Cuitlahua was compelled to wait the
summons. Burning to vindicate the honor of the Mexican arms, the hero
chafed under this cruel restraint, like a tiger chained in full view of
his prey. He little doubted that the Castilians would fall by the hands
of the Cholulans, encompassed as they were on every side, with no room
for escape, or for the action of their horses. But he longed to have a
share in the victory. Drawing up his forces in the order of march, he
stood, the whole day, in readiness to move at a moment's warning; and in
this attitude, he was still standing, when the tidings of the terrible
disaster in the city reached him.

His veteran legions were with difficulty restrained from rushing to the
rescue. The army was almost in a state of mutiny, from their eagerness
to avenge their slaughtered brethren in Cholula; and all the military
authority, and unbounded influence of Cuitlahua were required to keep
them in a state of due subordination.

The influence and authority of Cortez, on the other hand, were scarcely
sufficient to restrain his victorious allies from ravaging the city, and
putting men, women, and children to an indiscriminate slaughter. So
bitter and pervading was the old national animosity, that life was
scarcely worth possessing to a Tlascalan, if he must share its daily
blessings side by side with the Aztec. He hated the whole nation with a
perfect implacable hatred. He execrated the very name, and never uttered
it without a curse. Of this universal malediction, the Cholulan was
honored with more than his appropriate share. The other subjects and
tributaries of Montezuma they feared