s. The houses
of the common people were small but comfortable cottages, built of
reeds or of bricks baked in the sun. The dwellings of the nobles and
of the more wealthy inhabitants were strongly-built mansions of stone,
very extensive on the ground floor, though generally but one story
high. They were inclosed in gardens blooming with flowers. Fountains
of cool water, conveyed through earthen pipes, played in the
court-yards. The police regulations were unsurpassed by those of any
city in Europe. A thousand persons were continually employed in
sweeping and watering the streets. So clean were the well-cemented
pavements kept, that "a man could walk through the streets," says one
of the Spanish historians, "with as little danger of soiling his feet
as his hands."

Day after day was passed in the interchange of visits, and in the
careful examination by Cortez of the strength and the resources of
the city. He had now been a week in the capital, and the question
naturally arose, What is next to be done? He was, indeed, perplexed to
decide this question. Montezuma treated him with such extraordinary
hospitality, supplying all his wants, and leaving him at perfect
liberty, that it was difficult for one, who laid any claim whatever to
a conscience, to find occasion to pick a quarrel. To remain inactive,
merely enjoying the luxury of a most hospitable entertainment, was not
only accomplishing nothing, but was also enervating the army. It was
also to be apprehended that the Mexicans would gradually regain their
courage as they counted the small number of the invaders, and fall
upon them with resistless power.

The Tlascalans, who had rioted in blood at Cholula, seemed anxious for
a renewal of that scene of awful butchery in the streets of Mexico.
They assured Cortez that he had every thing to fear from the treachery
of Montezuma; that he had lured them into the city but to inclose
them in a trap; that the drawbridges of the causeways need but be
removed, and escape for the Spaniards would be impossible. They
assured him that the Mexican priests had counseled Montezuma, in the
name of the gods, to admit the strangers into the capital that he
might cut them off at a blow. It was obvious, even to the meanest
soldier, that all this might be true, and that they were in reality
in a trap from which it would be exceedingly difficult to extricate
themselves, should the Mexicans manifest any resolute hostility.

On the east the islan