o revolt against
Montezuma, and that the commander of the garrison had marched out with
some of his troops to support the rebels, that an engagement had ensued,
in which, though the Spaniards were victorious, the Spanish general with
seven of his men, had been mortally wounded, his horse killed, and one
Spaniard taken alive, and that the head of his unfortunate captive had
been sent to Mexico, after being carried in triumph to different cities
in order to convince the people that their invaders were not immortal.

In this trying situation, he fixed upon a plan no less extraordinary
than daring; he determined to seize Montezuma in his palace and to carry
him a prisoner to the Spanish quarters. This he immediately proposed to
his officers, who, as it was the only resource in which there appeared
any safety, warmly approved of it, and it was agreed instantly to make
the attempt.

At his usual hour of visiting Montezuma, Cortez went to the palace,
accompanied by five of his principal officers, and as many trusty
soldiers; thirty chosen men followed, not in regular order, but
sauntering at some distance, as if they had no object but curiosity: the
remainder of his troops continued under arms, ready to sally out on the
first alarm.

Cortez and his attendants were admitted without suspicion, the Mexicans
retiring, as usual, out of respect.

He now addressed the monarch in a tone very different from that which he
had employed on former occasions, and a conversation ensued, very much
resembling that between the wolf and the lamb, in the fable, which you
no doubt remember.

Cortez bitterly reproached him as the author of the violent assault made
by the Mexican general upon the Spaniards, and with having caused the
death of some of his companions.

Montezuma, with great earnestness, asserted his innocence, but Cortez
affected not to believe him, and proposed that, as a proof of his
sincerity, he should remove from his own palace, and take up his
residence in the Spanish quarters.

The first mention of so strange a proposal almost bereaved Montezuma of
speech; at length he haughtily answered "That persons of his rank were
not accustomed voluntarily to give themselves up as prisoners, and were
he mean enough to do so, his subjects would not permit such an affront
to be offered to their sovereign."

Cortez now endeavoured to soothe, and then to intimidate him, and in
this way the altercation continued three hours, when Vela