The herald., 1895-03-31
consider us from this time forward your

consider us from this time forward your
friends"
Cortes received their presents kindly
and said that he would assist them in
any way possible. And when he told
them of our holy faith and that we were
come to redress their wrongs, they COM
planned secretly so that the ambassadors
of Montezuma should not hear them, of
the tribute gatherers of MonteZuma. say
ing that they took whatever they wanted
from them and compelled them to work
like slaves and forced their wives and
daughters, if they were pretty. before the
ewes OF their husbands and brothers.
Cortes consoled them with loving words
through Dona Marina, who well knew
how to do it.
He then secretly told four of the Tlas-
calans and two of the others to go and ex
those of Guaxocingo said, but our new
friends replied: 'Malinche, there is no
use to go now for it is all clear, but for
the last six days there has been a large
force of Mexicans at crtain bad pass,
waiting to attack you.
When we were ready to Iecommence our
march there came to Cortes four Mexican
mobiles sent by Montezuma bringing a
present of gold and mantles, and after the
usual cere monies they said: 'Malinche.
this present is sent by our lord, the great
Montezuma who says that he is sorry
for all the toll and danger that you have
undergone coming from such a distant
land to see him. and that now he sends
to you once again, to say that he will
give you much gold and silver and chal-
chuis in tribute for your Emperor and for
yourself and the Teules who are with you.
if you will not go to Mexico; and that he
begs of you to go no farther, but to return
to the land from whence you came. And
that he will send to the port a great
Of rolt and ci1var for H. m.
peror, and for yourself four loads of gold
and for each one of your brother Teules one
load, and he does not wish you to go to
Mexico because his people are opposed
to it and are all in arms to prevent your
entrance into the city.
Cortes with great love embraced them.
although he did not like the message, and
replied that he was very much aston
ished that Montezuma, being such great
lord, would change his mind so often. at
one moment saying one thing and the
next the reverse, and that as for the gold
he promised the Emperor and ourselves
that he was grateful for his good intentions
and for what he now sent he would pay
him in good works in the future. But
how, he asked, would it look, being so near
the city, if we should now turn back
without doing what our lord had sent us
to do; and that if Montezuma had sent en-
bassadors to great lord, and when they
arrived near ms city tney snould turn
back without doing that for which they
had been sent. when they returned to
him would he not hold them as towards
and men of no capacityP And so it was
with us. So in one way or another we
had to enter Mexico, and that he desired
no further embassys over the matter, be
cause he must see Montezuma and de-
liver to him personally the message of our
Emperor and that afterwards if he de.
sired us to leave the City we would return
whence we came. AS soon as the messen-
gers left we commenced our march. We
already knew through our allies that the
idols had advised Montezuma TO allow us
to enter his city, where he could kill or
capture US all.