city--Curiosity of the people--The
omens of that day--Their influence upon
Montezuma--Guatimozin's true devotion to his
country--His interview with the Princess--True
interpretation of the omens--Filial devotion versus
patriotism--The pledge--A new omen--The parrot turned
prophet--Karee and her prediction--Extreme sensitiveness
of the Princess.

CHAPTER VI.

MUNIFICENCE OF MONTEZUMA--THE ROYAL BANQUET--THE
REQUITAL--THE EMPEROR A PRISONER IN HIS OWN PALACE. 97

Grand military display by the Spaniards--The terror of the
Aztecs--Fearlessness and high purpose of Guatimozin and
others--The Banquet--The company--A contrast--The
strangers presented to the Queen--Her grace and
dignity--Beauty of the Aztec women--Awkward position of
the admiring Cavaliers--Their ingenuity in
pantomime--Readily matched by the Aztec--Sandoval and
the Princess--Cortez and Karee--Guatimozin and Cacama in
argument--The Princess interposes--Sternness of
Guatimozin--An incident--Orteguilla--Alvarado and the
Naiads--Metamorphosed into a flower-god--Pays homage to
the Princess--The feast--The true character of the
invaders--Bold movement of Cortez--Montezuma's blind
submission to fate--Voluntarily becomes a vassal to the
crown of Spain--A still bolder movement of
Cortez--Montezuma remonstrates, but yields, and becomes
a prisoner in the Spanish quarters--Indignation of the
nobles--Portentous omen--Distress in the palace--The
Princess expostulates with her father--The parting, and
the promised meeting--Guatimozin departs in disgust--His
interview with the Princess at Chapoltepec--Courageous
hopes--Oracle and omens--Timidity made bold by love.

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--Guati