on, sent some one before him to announce his approach, that
Motecusuma might not perceive any change in our behaviour, and feel no
uneasiness at our unexpected visit. His conscience, however, was not
altogether easy, on account of the affair which had taken place at
Almeria, and he had a misgiving that it would bring down evil upon him.
Yet he sent word that our visit would be agreeable to him.

After Cortes had entered his apartment, and the usual compliments had
been passed, he thus addressed Motecusuma: "I am greatly astonished that
a prince of such power, who styles himself our friend, should have
commanded his troops, which lie on the coast near Tuzapan, to take up
arms against my Spanish troops, and presume to demand a certain number
of men and women for the sacrifices from those townships which have put
themselves under the protection of our emperor. But this is not all;
they have plundered those places, and even killed one of my brothers,
and a horse."

Cortes very prudently omitted to mention the death of Escalante and the
six others; for Motecusuma at that time knew as little of that as his
generals who had commanded on the occasion.

"How very differently we acted on our side!" continued Cortes. "I had
put implicit reliance in your friendship, and desired my officers in
every way to comply with your wishes. You, on the contrary, have
commanded your officers the very opposite. You once likewise sent a
large body of troops to Cholulla to destroy us all there. At that time,
from the friendship I bore you, I would not notice to you that I was
aware of that. At the present moment your generals have the audacity to
plot in secret to put us all to death. However, notwithstanding all this
treachery, I will refrain from making war upon you, which would only
end in the total destruction of this city; but in order that peace may
be maintained between us, you must make a small sacrifice, which is, to
follow us quietly into our quarters, and take up your abode there. There
you will receive the same attention, and be treated with the same
respect as if you were in your own palace. But if you make any alarm
now, or call out to your attendants, you are a dead man; and it is for
this reason only that I have this time brought these officers with me."

Motecusuma was seized with such sudden terror at these words, that he
remained speechless for some time. At length, however, he took courage,
and declared he had never given a