Page:Vol 2 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/636

616 the secret search for evidence such as would convict. In the mean time, as the days went by, to the now-awakening inhabitants the atmosphere of the city seemed thick with treason. Certain illegible lines in the scroll of their destiny, on exposure to the constant light, began to show color, and soon the characters could be all too easily read. The weaker of the wicked ones trembled, and hastened to save their lives by turning informers.

Among the first of these was the infamous Pedro de Aguilar, who after confession and communion on palm-Sunday and the next day, the 8th of April, asked the Dominican friars Cristóbal de la Cruz and Andrés Ubilla to take his statement to the audiencia. He did not, however, produce it in writing until the 23d of May. The marquis had gone to pass holy week at the Dominican convent of Santiago, where he heard from Baltasar de Aguilar on the evening of April 10th what had occurred. He then demanded the keys of the convent, locked its gates, and together with Bernardino de Bocanegra visited the city to see if all was quiet. After satisfying himself on this point he went to his own palace, to hold a consultation with his brothers; these steps betokened a troubled spirit. On Saturday Baltasar de Aguilar and Agustin de Villanueva visited the marquis and opened his eyes to his perilous position. Upon one of the