CHAPTER CXX.

_How Juan Velasquez arrives in Narvaez's head-quarters, and what
took place there._

Juan Velasquez travelled so fast that he arrived at Sempoalla towards
daybreak. He alighted at the house of the fat cazique; as the servant
whom Cortes had sent with him had no horse, he therefore walked on foot
to Narvaez's quarters. The Indians of Sempoalla all recognized him, and
were highly pleased to see and converse with him again. When, however,
some of Narvaez's men, who were quartered in the cazique's house, heard
the Indians say that it was Velasquez de Leon, one of Malinche's
officers, they hastened to Narvaez, and told him they brought a piece of
news for which they might expect a reward. And before Leon had arrived
at the latter's quarters, Narvaez, who was highly delighted to hear of
his arrival, hastened out, accompanied by several of his officers, to
meet him, and received him with a hearty embrace. After they had entered
his abode, he requested Velasquez to take a chair, (for in this
expedition they had even furnished themselves with such things,) and
reproached him in a friendly tone for not having alighted at his
quarters, and immediately sent some of his men for his horse and
baggage, as he would not hear of his staying in any house but his own.
Velasquez, however, observed, that he could not stay long, as he had
merely come to pay his respects to him and his officers, and try if
peace and friendship could not be brought about between his excellency
and Cortes.

Narvaez's blood rose to his cheeks at this expression, and he asked
Velasquez how he could talk of peace and friendship with a man who had,
like a traitor, run away with the whole armament of his own cousin, the
governor of Cuba?

Juan Velasquez replied, in an equally sharp tone of voice, that Cortes
was not a traitor, but a faithful servant to his emperor; that such
services as he had rendered to the crown could not be termed the
actions of a traitor, and he must beg of him not again to make use of
such expressions in his presence.

Upon this Narvaez assumed a different tone, and made Velasquez vast
promises if he would remain with him; even promised him, and sealed it
with an oath, that he would elevate him to second in command to himself,
if he would manage to induce Cortes' troops to join his standard of
their own free will. Velasquez, however, assured him he should consider
himself the vilest of traitors if he deserted a g