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leave everything untouched, and that the doorway should be walled up
again as before, nor was Motecusuma to be informed of our discovery.

As all of us, officers as well as privates, were men of experience, full
of energy and very determined, who never lost sight that the Lord Jesus
Christ had assisted us with his divine hand in all our undertakings, we
deputed four officers and twelve of our most trustworthy and faithful
soldiers, myself being among the number, to Cortes, and represented to
him how we were cooped up in this strong city, as if we had been caught
in a net or cage. We begged of him to remember the bridges and
causeways, how we had been cautioned in every town we passed through
against Motecusuma, and were assured that Huitzilopochtli had advised
him to allow us to enter the city quietly, and when once there to fall
upon us unawares and destroy us all. He ought to remember the
inconstancy of the human mind in general, and of the Indians in
particular; and not trust to the kindness and friendship which
Motecusuma showed us. All this might change in an instant, and if
Motecusuma did not exactly fall upon us with sword in hand, he had
merely to cut off our supply of provisions and water, or break down some
of the bridges, and we should be lost. He, Cortes, ought to consider
what a large body of warriors always surrounded the monarch, and how
powerless we should be and ill able to defend ourselves, since all the
houses stood in the water. We could not count upon the assistance of our
friends the Tlascallans, as they would be totally cut off from us.

Taking all this into consideration our opinion was, that we had no other
resource left by which we could place our own lives in safety than by
seizing the monarch's person without delay. All the gold this monarch
had given us, all we had seen in the treasury of his father, and all the
fine provisions he had set before us, could not induce us to hide our
sentiments. These reflections harassed us night and day, and if some of
our men did appear heedless as to our present position, these were
merely a few narrow-minded folks, who, on account of the vast quantity
of gold after which their mouths watered, were unable to see the death
which stood before them.

Cortes, in reply to their representations said: "Do not imagine,
gentlemen, that I either sleep so peaceably, or that what you have just
been stating has not also caused me much anxiety. But we ought first to
weigh well whether you think we are sufficiently strong in numbers for
so bold an attempt as to take this mighty monarch prisoner in his own
palace, amidst his body-guard and other warriors. I cannot see how we
can manage this matter without running the risk of being attacked by his
troops."

Our four officers, namely, Leon, Ordas, Sandoval, and Alvarado, said,
that the only way would be by some means or other to entice the monarch
out of his palace, then to conduct him to our quarters, and then inform
him that he was our prisoner. If he offered any resistance or made any
noise, then to knock him down at once. If Cortes himself objected to
have any hand in it, they begged he would give them permission to carry
it out themselves. There was as much danger on one side as on the other;
but it was certainly more advisable to take the monarch prisoner than to
wait until he made war upon us; for what chance of escape should we then
have?

To all this was added, that several of us had of late remarked, that
Motecusuma's house-steward appeared to become haughty in his manners,
and that he did not supply our table so abundantly as on the first few
days. Lastly, our friends of Tlascalla had secretly informed Aguilar
that the Mexicans, for the last two days, appeared to have some evil
design on hand.

One hour was thus spent in deliberating as to whether we should take
Motecusuma prisoner, and the manner in which it was to be done. At last
we came to the resolution of seizing the monarch's person on the
following day, and Cortes gave his full consent. The whole of that night
was spent in prayer with father Olmedo, to ask the Almighty's support in
this holy cause.

The following morning two Tlascallans arrived secretly in our quarters,
with a letter from Vera Cruz, announcing to Cortes that Juan de
Escalante had been slain with six other Spaniards in an engagement with
the Mexicans. A horse had likewise been killed, and all the Totonaques
who had joined him had been slain. All the mountain tribes as well as
the Sempoallans had turned against us. They would neither any longer
furnish the town with provisions nor assist in building the
fortifications, and the garrison scarcely knew what to be about in its
present distress.

After this overthrow, the belief that the Spaniards were teules had
altogether vanished. The Totonaque tribes, as well as the Mexicans,
began to throw out threats, and the profound veneration in which they
before held us was now changed for utter contempt.

God only knows what a terrible sensation this news created among us. It
was the first defeat we had sustained in New Spain, and the good reader
may easily see from this how rapidly the wheel of fortune turns from
good to bad. She had but just seen us enter this great metropolis, and
meet with a splendid and triumphant reception. We already believed we
were on the sure road to wealth, from the many presents which Motecusuma
gave us daily. We had had a peep into Axayacatl's treasure; we had, up
to this moment, been regarded as teules who could not fail to come off
victorious in battle. This delusion had now flown all at once. We
appeared, like all other men, vincible, and the Indians had already
began to be insolent and haughty in their demeanour towards us.

We had now the more reason to strike some determined blow, and we
therefore resolved to get possession of Motecusuma's person some how or
other, if we were even to forfeit all our lives in the attempt.

I will, however, first relate the battle in which Escalante and the six
other Spaniards lost their lives.

[67] This passage fully proves the kind disposition of the monarch, for
he even overcame his religious scruples to please the very men who came
to take his kingdom from him. (p. 244.)

CHAPTER XCIV.

 _Of the battle which the Mexican generals fought with Escalante and
 the Totonaque tribes._

The reader will remember, some chapters back, how we lay quartered in
the township of Quiahuitzlan, and that several of the confederate
tribes, friendly with Sempoalla, assembled around us there. Above thirty
townships, on this occasion, at the command of Cortes, refused to pay
any further tribute to Motecusuma, and threw off his yoke. It was during
that time also that the Mexican tax-gatherers were imprisoned by the
Sempoallans, at our instigation. After all this had taken place we broke
up our quarters at Sempoalla and began our march towards Mexico, leaving
Juan de Escalante behind, as governor of Vera Cruz, who received
particular instructions to pr

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