pects with the information he had
already received from others.

When day appeared, the hurry of the chiefs, priests and people in coming
to our quarters as appointed, and their apparent satisfaction, was as
great as if we had been already secured in their cages. They brought a
much greater number of warriors to attend us than had been required,
insomuch that the large courts in which we were quartered were unable to
contain them. We were all prepared for the event, having a strong guard of
soldiers posted at the gate of the great court, to prevent any one from
escaping. Cortes mounted on horseback, attended by a strong guard; and as
he saw the people crowding in at the gate, he said to us, "See how anxious
these traitors are to feast on our flesh! But GOD will disappoint their
hopes." He ordered the two priests who had given him the information to
retire to their houses that they might escape the intended slaughter.
Every one being arrived in the great court, he commanded the chiefs and
priests to draw near, to whom he made a calm remonstrance on the treachery
of their conduct towards us, which was explained by Donna Marina. He asked
them why they had plotted to destroy us, and what we had done to deserve
their enmity, except exhorting them to abandon their barbarous and
abominable customs, and endeavouring to instruct them in our holy
religion? Their evil intentions, he said, had been obvious, by withdrawing
their women and children from the city, and by insultingly sending us only
wood and water, when we required provisions. He said he was perfectly
acquainted with the ambush which was placed in the road by which we meant
to march, and with all the other contrivances they had made for our
destruction; and that in recompence of our proffered friendship, and of
all the holy services we intended them, he knew that they meant to kill
and eat us, and that the pots were already on the fire, prepared with salt,
pepper, and _tomatas_, in which our dissevered limbs were to be boiled. He
knew that they had doomed twenty of us to be sacrificed to their idols, to
whom they had already immolated seven of their own brethren. "Since you
were determined to attack us," said he in conclusion, "it had been more
manly to have done so openly like the Tlascalans, and not to have resorted
to mean and cowardly treachery. But be assured that the victory which your
false gods have promised is beyond their power, and the punishment of your
trea