merely spoken the truth in calling you traitors. You are a traitor,
and all the rest of you, and you are unworthy the name of Velasquez
which you bear."

Leon now laid hand on his sword, and called Diego a liar; swearing he
was a better nobleman than he or his uncle, and that the house of
Velasquez to which he belonged was a very different one to Diego's or
his uncle's. Of this he would give instant proof if General Narvaez
would allow him.

As many of Narvaez's officers and a few of Cortes' were present during
this scene, they interfered and prevented any open violence, as Leon was
just about to draw his sword against his opponent.

The other officers now advised Narvaez to order Juan Velasquez, his
servant, and father Olmedo to quit their camp without any further
ceremony, as their stay there would only cause worse blood. Orders to
this effect were accordingly issued, and our men delayed not an instant
to hasten their departure. Leon was seated on his fine mare, and clad in
his coat of mail, which he scarcely ever put off, and had his helmet on,
when he once more called upon Narvaez to take leave. Young Diego
Velasquez was standing next to the latter at the time, and when Leon
inquired of Narvaez if he had any message to Cortes, he replied, in
great ill humour, "I beg of you to leave this instant, and it would have
been much better if you had stayed away altogether." Young Velasquez
then opened his mouth, and threw out most abusive language against him.
Leon, in return, assured him his insolence would meet with its due
reward, and a few days would show whether the bravery of his arm
corresponded with the boldness of his tongue. As they were continually
growing more bitter in their expressions, five or six of Cortes'
adherents among Narvaez's officers, who intended to escort Leon, came
up, and told him, rather harshly, it was time to be moving, and no
longer to spend his breath in useless words. They merely assumed this
tone to get him as quickly out of the way as possible, for they
afterwards told him that Narvaez had already issued orders for seizing
his person; indeed, he had every reason to make haste, for a numerous
body of cavalry was already hard at his heels when he arrived at the
river above mentioned.--We were just taking our midday's nap when our
outpost brought information that two or three men on horseback were
approaching our camp, and we immediately concluded it must be Leon, his
servant Juan, and fa