ke folly. He said the
letter ought not to be answered, and he did not care a snap of the
fingers for us.

In the meantime the priest, Guevara, and his companions, had returned,
and the latter gave Narvaez a circumstantial account of Cortes, showing
him what an excellent cavalier he was, and what a faithful servant he
had proved himself to our emperor. He spoke about the great power of
Motecusuma, and the number of towns through which he had journeyed, and
that Cortes would gladly submit to him. He also added, that it was for
the advantage of both to remain on friendly terms with each other. New
Spain was large enough to afford room for them both, and Narvaez might
choose which part of the country he would occupy with his troops.

These statements, which Amaya and Guevara had accompanied by some good
advice, so greatly incensed Narvaez, that he would neither see nor speak
to them from that moment. The impression, however, it produced on the
troops was various; for when they saw the gold these two men returned
with, and heard so much good of Cortes and all of us, and heard them
speak of the wondrous things they had seen, and the vast quantity of
gold, and how we played at cards for gold only, many of them longed to
join our corps.

Shortly after this, father Olmedo likewise arrived in Narvaez's quarters
with bars of gold and secret instructions. When he called upon him to
pay him Cortes' respects, and said how ready he was to obey Narvaez's
commands, and remain on terms of peace with him, the latter grew more
enraged than before. He even refused to listen to him, and called Cortes
and all of us traitors; and when Olmedo denied this, and told him we
were the most faithful of the emperor's servants, he grossly insulted
him. All this, however, did not deter Olmedo from fulfilling his secret
mission, and distributing the bars of gold and golden chains among those
for whom Cortes had destined them; and he strove in every way to draw
over Narvaez's principal officers to our side.

CHAPTER CXIII.

_The high words which arose between the auditor Vazquez de Aillon
and Narvaez, who orders him to be seized and sent back prisoner to
Spain._

The auditor Aillon, as I have before mentioned, was most favorably
inclined towards Cortes, and had purposely come to New Spain with
instructions from the royal court of audience at St. Domingo and the
Hieronymite brothers, who were aware of the great and important serv