Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/185

Rh fowls and fruits with maize and milling stones, and to furnish women to grind our corn and make our bread. He ordered fodder, also, for our horses, after which he took leave with great courtesy. Nevertheless, our captain issued strict orders that no one should stir from our quarters until we knew better just how affairs stood.

Next day Cortes determined to visit the monarch in his own palace, after sending to ask if with what he planned to do a visit from him would be agreeable. On our arrival Montezuma advanced to the middle of the hall to meet us. Only his nephews were with him, for none but kinsmen entered his rooms. After their first reverential greetings were over, he and our captain took each other by the hand and Montezuma seated Cortes at his right hand, and bade all of us take seats which he had ordered brought in. Then through his interpreters Cortes spoke at considerable length, telling Montezuma how, in coming to talk with so great a ruler, we fulfilled the commands of our king and our own wishes; that he had now come to disclose the commands of the true God, who created heaven, earth, the sea and every living thing, without whose holy will nothing existed, and he begged the attention of Montezuma to these words of his that we are all brothers, and that such a brother as our-great king grieved to think so many human souls should be led to hell by these idols; for