Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/217

Rh Cortes sent word to the monarch that what the men said involved him also. Thereupon Montezuma fell to excusing himself; upon which our captain said that for himself he believed the warriors' confession, and that, according to the laws of our country, the ruler himself deserved punishment; yet our captain's love for him was so great that, even if he were guilty, he, Cortes, would himself pay the penalty rather than that Montezuma should suffer.

Cortes now sentenced the warriors to be burned in front of the ruler's palace, and that there might be no outbreak while the sentence was carried out, Cortes ordered Montezuma to be put in chains. Grief overcame the monarch when this was done, and he moaned, but in the end, after the execution was over, Cortes with five of his officers went to his apartment where our captain himself took off the fetters, and spoke with such affection, saying that although Montezuma was already lord of many countries he would make him master of many more, and if he now wished to go to his palace he would give him leave, that even while Cortes was speaking tears welled in the monarch's eyes and rolled down his cheeks. He answered with courtesy, knowing all he heard was mere words, that he thanked Cortes for his kindness and for the present he preferred to stay where he was.

In this way I have told how the great Montezuma