single soul escaping.

Various motives were assigned for this most foul massacre. Some
writers have ascribed it solely to the desire for plunder; others
to the desire of Alvarado to strike a blow that would intimidate
the Mexicans from making any insurrectionary movement. Alvarado
himself declared that he had information that the Mexicans intended
to rise, but he gave no proofs, whatever, to justify his
suspicions. The affair, indeed, seems to have been utterly
indefensible, and must ever remain a foul blot upon Spanish honor.

Cortez was extremely angry at hearing what had taken place and,
after listening to Alvarado's explanation, said:

"You have done badly. You have been false to your trust! Your
conduct has been that of a madman!"

It was, however, no time for quarrels; and as it was the impolicy
of the deed, rather than its treachery, that angered Cortez, he
speedily forgave the offender, who was one of the most popular
officers in his army.

The blow Alvarado had struck had a contrary effect to that which he
had expected of it. No sooner had the news of the massacre spread
through the city than the whole population rose, and at dawn next
morning they attacked the palace, with desperate fury. Volumes of
missiles were poured upon the defenders. The walls were assaulted,
and the works set on fire, and the palace might have been taken had
not Montezuma, yielding to the entreaties--and perhaps threats--of
the garrison, mounted the walls, and urged the people to desist
from the attack, as his own safety would be imperiled did they
continue it.

They obeyed him as usual, and withdrew from the assault; but threw
up works round the place, and proceeded to starve the Spaniards
out. The latter had considerable stores of food, but suffered
severely from thirst until they were fortunate enough to discover a
spring, and were thus enabled to hold out until the arrival of
Cortez.

The latter refused to comply with the request of Montezuma to see
him. He had some reason to doubt the good faith of the emperor, for
he had discovered that the latter had sent envoys to Narvaez; and
he had, upon his arrival at Tlascala, been informed that the rising
at Mexico had been, to a great extent, prepared beforehand by the
orders of Montezuma; and even the assurances of the officers of the
garrison, that they owed their safety to the emperor's intervention,
did not pacify him.

The real reason, no doubt, of his anger was that he fo