Chapter VII

TREACHERY AND RETRIBUTION--MASSACRE OF THE AZTEC
NOBILITY--DEATH OF MONTEZUMA. 121

Cortez visits Vera Cruz--Alvarado in command in the
Capital--His character--The Aztec festival--Unprovoked
attack and massacre--The whole nation in arms for
revenge--Alvarado in imminent peril--Cortez returns--The
Aztecs threaten the entire destruction of the
Spaniards--Furious assault upon their
quarters--Desperate sortie--Implacable spirit of the
Aztecs--Their leaders--Cortez persuades Montezuma to
interpose--Cacama summoned to the royal presence--His
noble reply--The Princes' rendezvous--Guatimozin warned
of danger--His escape--Cacama and Cuitlahua
arrested--The latter released--Fresh assaults upon the
Spaniards--At the instigation of Cortez, Montezuma
appears and addresses the people--Their loyalty and
deference--Suddenly changed to uncontrollable rage--The
Emperor mortally wounded by his own people--A temporary
suspension of hostilities--Death of Montezuma--His
funeral obsequies.

CHAPTER VIII.

BRIEF REIGN OF CUITLAHUA--EXPULSION OF THE
SPANIARDS--GUATIMOZIN CHOSEN EMPEROR--HIS MARRIAGE WITH
TECUICHPO. 137

Cuitlahua elected to the vacant throne--His
resolution--Cortez, realizing his danger, resolves to
evacuate the city--Attempts to steal away in the
night--Assaulted on all sides by the Aztecs--Perils of
the retreat--Awful position on the Great
Causeway--Hemmed in on all sides--Terrible slaughter--A
remnant escape--Cortez in tears--Singular neglect of his
adversary--Activity of Cuitlahua--His sudden
death--Grief and despondency of the nation--Guatimozin
elected to his place--His activity and prudence--He
claims the hand of the Princess--Her timidity and her
devotion--Love finding the bright side of the
picture--The nuptial festival--Grand procession to the
Capital--A nation's welcome.

CHAPTER IX.

FESTIVITIES AT THE COURT OF GUATIMOZIN--THE NEW HYMENEAL
VOW. 151

Character of Guatimozin--His practical wisdom and
activity--Gaiety of the court--The young
Queen--Nahuitla, the Prince of Tlacopan--Atlacan, a
princess of Tezcuco--Her brother, Maxtli--Her
suitors--The Merchant of Cholula--Mercenary views of
Maxtli--Endeavors to thwart Nahuitla--How he is thwarted
himself--The betrothal--Sanctioned by the Emperor--The
nuptials--Polygamy abjured--A new Imperial
statute--Torch dance--Significant pantomime.

CHAPTER X.

RETURN OF CORTEZ--SIEGE OF TENOCHTITLAN--BRAVERY AND
SUFFERINGS OF THE AZTECS. 161

Guatimozin prepares for a new invasion--Cortez approaches
with a new army--Orders vessels built at Tlascala--Takes
possession of Tezcuco--Makes liberal overtures to
Guatimozin--Rejected with scorn--Determined spirit of
Guatimozin--Success of Cortez in reducing some of the
smaller towns--Narrow escape at Iztalapatan--General
defection of the tributary cities--How accounted
for--The Spanish fleet on the Lake--Genius of
Cortez--Tenochtitlan invested--Preparations for the
siege--Spirit of the Aztecs--Their supplies cut off--The
Queen in her reverses--Famine--Distress in the
city--Love stronger than hunger--The famishing
fed--Desperation--an assault--an ambush--The tide of
battle suddenly turned--Perilous position and severe
loss of the Spaniards--Cortez narrowly
escapes--Disastrous retreat.