Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/186

152 this reason he had sent us to put an end to such misery and to exhort the people no longer to adore such gods, nor to sacrifice human brothers to them, nor to kidnap and commit other offences; and shortly our king would send men of holy lives who would explain more fully; of these we were merely first messengers, and begged them to do what we asked.

In turn Montezuma answered, "Malinche, what you have just been telling of your God I have understood before now, from what you said to my ambassadors on the sand dunes, and from what you have stated about the cross in the towns through which you have come. We have not made any answer because here from long ages we have worshipped our own gods and believed them good gods, just as you have worshipped yours; therefore let us talk more on the subject. As to the creation of the world, we, too, believe it was created ages ago, and for this reason we think you are those people whom our ancestors foretold should come from the region of the sunrise. I feel myself indebted to your great king and I will give him of whatever I possess." He also continued, saying that now the gods had fulfilled his wish of seeing the strange men coming to his coast, and we were in his dwelling, we should deem it our home and rest from our exhaustion, for we should want nothing. Sometimes, it is true, he had sent us