orded
the Spaniards, contrary to the express will of their emperor, and that
they demanded as the penalty twenty young men and twenty young women
of the Totonacs, to be offered in sacrifice to their gods.

Cortez assumed an air of indignation and of authority as he eagerly
availed himself of this opportunity of promoting an open rupture
between the Totonacs and the Mexicans. He declared that he would never
consent to any such abominable practices of heathenism. He haughtily
commanded the Totonac chiefs immediately to arrest the lords of
Montezuma, and throw them into prison. The poor chiefs were appalled
beyond measure at the very idea of an act so irrevocable and so
unpardonable. They had long been accustomed to consider Montezuma as
possessing power which nothing on earth could resist. Montezuma swayed
the sceptre of a Caesar, and bold indeed must he be who would venture
to brave his wrath.

But, on the other hand, they had already offended beyond hope of
pardon by entertaining the intruders contrary to the positive command
of their sovereign. Twenty of their sons and daughters were to bleed
upon the altars of sacrifice. Their only hope was now in Cortez.
Should he abandon them, they were ruined hopelessly. They deemed it
possible that, with the thunder and the lightning at his command, he
might be able to set at defiance that mighty Mexican power which had
hitherto been found invincible.

In this dreadful dilemma, they yielded to the inexorable demand of
Cortez, and tremblingly arrested the Mexican lords. The Rubicon was
now passed. The Totonacs were from that moment the abject slaves of
Cortez. Their only protection from the most awful doom was in his
strong arm, and their persons, their property, their all, were
entirely at his disposal.

Cortez then condescended to perform a deed of cunning and of perfidy
which has left a stain upon his character which never can be washed
away. In the night he ordered one of his people secretly to assist two
of the Mexican lords in their escape. They were privately brought into
his presence. With guileful words, which ought to have blistered his
tongue, he declared that they, by their arrest, had received insult
and outrage from the Totonacs, which he sincerely regretted, and would
gladly have prevented. He assured them of the great pleasure which it
afforded him to aid them in their escape. He promised to do every
thing in his power to secure the release of the others, and w