all away in chains: on the contrary,
after Motecusuma found that though we were in possession of a sufficient
number of vessels, but made no preparation for embarking, he well
foresaw we never intended to leave the country again, but that more of
us would continually arrive, and that we should return to Mexico
accompanied by Narvaez's troops.

Upon this it was resolved they should put Alvarado with the whole of his
men to the sword, and liberate the monarch. The less doubt they had
entertained of Narvaez's being able to defeat us, the more sure they
made of carrying out their plan successfully. This Alvarado considered
sufficient to justify the conduct he had pursued. Cortes then wished to
know why he had fallen upon the Mexican chiefs while they were
celebrating a feast? Because, replied Alvarado, he had been assured by
two of the principal men of the town, by one of the papas, and by other
of the inhabitants, that the Mexicans intended falling upon him
immediately after the feast had ended.

But the Mexicans, interrupted Cortes, maintain that they had asked your
permission to celebrate the feast, and that you granted their request!

Alvarado could certainly not deny this, but assured him he had selected
that opportunity to punish them that it might come the more
unexpectedly, and strike the greater terror among them, and to
anticipate them in their premeditated attack upon him.

These statements were by no means satisfactory to Cortes, and he told
Alvarado, rather sharply, that he saw very little truth in all this,
but a good deal of irregularity hurtful to the Spanish cause: "For it is
very certain," added Cortes, "if the Almighty did not allow Motecusuma
to regain his liberty, it was because his idols might not construe it
into their own merit." Herewith Cortes turned his back upon him, and
desired him to say nothing further on the subject.

Besides this, Alvarado related many other things which happened during
the interval we had been absent from Mexico; one time, for instance,
when he sallied out upon the Mexicans, who were rushing forward in vast
numbers to set fire to his quarters, he ordered a cannon, heavily laden
with ball and small shot, to be fired against them; this piece, however,
did not go off until he had fought his way into the thickest of the
enemy, who were forcing him back to his quarters again: it then went off
of itself, and committed terrible havoc among the advancing foe.
Alvarado assured