tect Montezuma with their shields; and he was severely wounded in
the head and in two other places. The miserable monarch was borne
away, having received his death-stroke; but whether it came from the
wounds themselves, or from the indignity of being thus treated by his
people, remains a doubtful point. It seems, however, that, to use some
emphatic words which have been employed upon a similar occasion: 'He
turned his face to the wall, and would be troubled no more.'

[Illustration: "He Defended Himself With His Terrible Spear"]

"It is remarkable that he did not die like a Christian,[6] and I think
this shows that he had more force of mind and purpose than the world
has generally been inclined to give him credit for. To read
Montezuma's character rightly, at this distance of time, and amidst
such a wild perplexity of facts, would be very difficult, and is not
very important. But one thing, {180} I think, is discernible, and that
is, that his manners were very gracious and graceful. I dwell upon
this, because I conceive it was a characteristic of the race; and no
one will estimate this characteristic lightly, who has observed how
very rare, even in the centres of civilized life, it is to find people
of fine manners, so that in great capitals but very few persons can be
pointed out who are at all transcendent in this respect. The gracious
delight which Montezuma had in giving was particularly noticeable; and
the impression which he made upon Bernal Diaz may be seen in the
narrative of this simple soldier, who never speaks of him otherwise as
'the great Montezuma'; and, upon the occasion of his death, remarks
that some of the Spanish soldiers who had known him mourned for him as
if he had been a father, 'and no wonder,' he adds, 'seeing that he was
so good.'"

Cortes sent out the body to the new king, and Montezuma was mourned
over by the Spaniards, to whom he had always been gracious, and
probably, by his own people; but little could be learned of what the
Mexicans thought, or did, upon the occasion, by the Spaniards, who only
saw that Montezuma's death made no difference in the fierceness of the
enemy's attack.

Meanwhile the situation of the Spaniards was indescribable. There was
mutiny and rebellion among them. The soldiers of Narvaez, who looked
for a pleasant promenade through a land of peace and plenty, were
appalled. There was daily, desperate fighting. The Mexicans had
manned the temple of the war-g