Page:About Mexico - Past and Present.djvu/197

Rh seat on another piece of carpet, near his guest, Montezuma through an interpreter made his first formal speech of welcome. He was a man in the prime of life, tall and well formed, paler in color than his brethren, with a careworn look which was easily explained when we remember the harassing anxiety of the past months. His beard was thin and his hair was long, black and straight, short hair being considered by Mexicans very undignified in a person of rank. He wore a large embroidered mantle sprinkled with precious stones, a heavily-fringed scarf about his loins and sandals with golden soles. Several rich plumes of green towered above his head.

Sitting there on the floor beside Cortez, Montezuma gave the history of his forefathers, going back to days when other white men had come from some far land at the east and gained possessions in Anahuac. Their chief afterward went back to his own country, but came again after many years. Those of his people who had remained had intermarried with the natives and built towns, but they would not acknowledge him as their ruler. The disowned chief went away to the east, promising to come again and bring the people into subjection. "From what you tell us of your country toward the sunrising," said Montezuma, "and of your chief the master of the whole earth, who has known of us and sent you hither to see us, we believe that he is our natural lord, and as such we desire to obey him. We pay our tribute to you in his place. You shall rule this land for him. All we have is at your disposal. We will not deceive you. Since you are in your own country and