Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/227

Rh lay the treasure of his grandfather—he determined to end our dominion. He called to council all the caciques who were his vassals, and with them relatives who were princes of other towns and provinces, especially the lord of Matalcingo, a man of courage, so nearly related to Montezuma that many said he was the rightful heir to the monarchy.

While Cacamatzin was negotiating with these chieftains to fix a day when they should fall upon us with their united armies, the cacique of Matalcingo said that if Cacamatzin would assure him of his elevation to the throne, he and all his relatives and all his people would be the first to take up arms and turn us out of the city, or put us to the sword. Cacamatzin answered the cacique of Matalcingo, however, that the crown belonged to him as nephew of Montezuma and, if he of Matalcingo did not wish to join, himself, Cacamatzin and all the others would be able to overcome us without his aid. Of all this Montezuma duly received intelligence from the aggrieved cacique of Matalcingo.

The monarch, extremely prudent and unwilling to see his city in blood and rebellion, told Cortes of the conspiracy, of which we had, indeed, heard in general terms. The advice of Cortes was that Montezuma should put his Mexican troops under our captain's command and we should fall upon Texcoco and destroy the town. It was clear this advice did not