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nd presume to demand a certain number
of men and women for the sacrifices from those townships which have put
themselves under the protection of our emperor. But this is not all;
they have plundered those places, and even killed one of my brothers,
and a horse."

Cortes very prudently omitted to mention the death of Escalante and the
six others; for Motecusuma at that time knew as little of that as his
generals who had commanded on the occasion.

"How very differently we acted on our side!" continued Cortes. "I had
put implicit reliance in your friendship, and desired my officers in
every way to comply with your wishes. You, on the contrary, have
commanded your officers the very opposite. You once likewise sent a
large body of troops to Cholulla to destroy us all there. At that time,
from the friendship I bore you, I would not notice to you that I was
aware of that. At the present moment your generals have the audacity to
plot in secret to put us all to death. However, notwithstanding all this
treachery, I will refrain from making war upon you, which would only
end in the total destruction of this city; but in order that peace may
be maintained between us, you must make a small sacrifice, which is, to
follow us quietly into our quarters, and take up your abode there. There
you will receive the same attention, and be treated with the same
respect as if you were in your own palace. But if you make any alarm
now, or call out to your attendants, you are a dead man; and it is for
this reason only that I have this time brought these officers with me."

Motecusuma was seized with such sudden terror at these words, that he
remained speechless for some time. At length, however, he took courage,
and declared he had never given any one orders to take up arms against
us. He would that instant send for his generals, and learn from them the
truth of the whole matter, and give exemplary punishment. For this
purpose, he loosened the seal and mark of Huitzilopochtli, which he
always wore around his wrist. This he only did when he issued orders of
the first importance, and that those who had the seal might be
immediately obeyed. He was quite astonished, he said, we should presume
to take him prisoner, and lead him away out of his palace against his
wishes. No one had a right to demand that of him, he added; and
altogether he felt no inclination to comply with our request.

Cortes, in answer to this, gave him very good reasons for our having
come to this determination; but Motecusuma continually brought in
stronger reasons why he should not comply; and was resolved not to leave
his palace.

As this dispute had now lasted above half an hour, our officers began to
lose all patience, and said to Cortes with great warmth, "What is the
use of throwing away so many words? He must either quietly follow us, or
we will cut him down at once. Be so good as to tell him this; for on
this depends the safety of our lives. We must show determination, or we
are inevitably lost."

These words were uttered by Juan Velasquez in a loud and harsh tone of
voice. When, therefore, Motecusuma heard this, and perceived the dark
looks of the officers, he asked Marina what the man had said who spoke
so loud.

Marina, who was uncommonly shrewd, and well knew how to help us out with
a good answer, said, "Great monarch, if I may be allowed to give you
advice, make no further difficulties, but immediately follow them to
their quarters. I am confident they will pay you every respect, and
treat you as becomes a powerful monarch. But if you continue to refuse,
they will cut you down on the spot."

Motecusuma then turned to Cortes, and said: "Malinche, since then you
repose no trust in me, take my son and my two legitimate daughters as
hostages; only do not disgrace me, by demanding my person. What will the
grandees of my empire say, if they see me taken prisoner?"

Cortes, however, said that his own person would be the only guarantee of
our safety, and that there was no other means of quieting our fears. At
last Motecusuma, after a good deal of altercation, made up his mind to
go quietly with us.

As soon as he had declared this his intention, our officers showed him
every possible civility, and hoped that he would excuse the grief they
had occasioned him, and desired him to acquaint his generals and his
body-guard that he had chosen, of his own free will, to take up his
abode in our quarters; and also upon the advice of Huitzilopochtli and
his papas, who considered it necessary for his health, and for the
safety of his life.

His rich and splendid sedan was then brought in, which he commonly used
when he left his palace with his whole suite, and he followed us to our
quarters, where we took every precaution to secure his person. Every one
of us strove hardest to make him happy, and procured him every
entertainment we could think of, to make his confinement as pleasant as
we could.

Shortly afterwards all the Mexican grandees, with his nephew, called
upon him, to inquire the reason of his imprisonment, and ask him if they
should commence hostilities against us? But Motecusuma told them he
wished to do himself the pleasure of passing a few days with us, and
that this change of abode was of his own free choice. He would make his
wishes known to them as soon as he found reason to complain. They might
allay their fears, and keep the metropolis quiet, and not trouble
themselves any further about him. The determination he had thus taken
was fully consented to by Huitzilopochtli, as many priests, who had
purposely consulted him, had admitted.

These are the true circumstances relative to the imprisonment of
Motecusuma. He was always surrounded by the whole of his household, and
had all his wives with him, and continued to bathe himself daily, as he
had been accustomed to, in his own palace. He was likewise always
attended by twenty of his generals and counsellors, nor did he show the
least signs of grief on account of his confinement. Disputes from the
most distant parts were laid before him, as usual, for his decision; the
tribute was collected, and he continued to attend to the most important
affairs of state as before. His subjects paid the same veneration to his
person, and the most distinguished princes who waited on him, or came
upon business, always took off their fine garments, to put on a meaner
dress of nequen cloth, and came so, barefoot, into his presence. Neither
did they enter at the principal gate, but sought for some side door, and
approached with eyes downcast, and made three prostrations, and
pronounced the words Lord, my lord, great lord! They then acquainted him
with their business, by means of pictures drawn on nequen cloth; and
made use of thin sticks, with which they pointed to the different
objects, to explain what they wanted, or the nature of the lawsuit they
came about.

Motecusuma had constantly two old distinguished caziques at his side,
who, as judges, gave their opinion in every case, after due
del

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