Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/244

208 threatening the men looked, he answered, "Alas, Malinche! why do you wish utterly to destroy the city? Already our gods are angry with us, and I can not tell what revenge they will take. Have patience till I summon the papas and know what they think."

Cortes now signed with his hand for the officers to retire, and then he told the monarch that the way to save the town from open rebellion and the idols from destruction was to grant us room for an altar and an image of Our Lady and the cross on the top of the temple. In no other way could he promise him to silence the murmurs of his men. As time went on, moreover, the Mexicans themselves would see how good and beneficial the change was for their souls and for giving them abundant harvests and other blessings.

With deep sighs and a countenance full of sorrow, Montezuma repeated that he would confer with his papas, and after much discussion between monarch and priests we gained leave to set our altars opposite the cursed idol of Huitzilopochtli, and there with heartfelt thanks to God, Padre de Olmedo chanted mass, assisted by many of our soldiers. Cortes begged Montezuma to order his papas not to touch the altar; and at the same time our captain appointed an old soldier to be the altar's cleaner and curator, to burn incense, to keep wax candles lighted night