The National tribune., 1899-04-13
SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS.

During the year after the landing O
COrtez in Mexico, Amador de Leste, {
young Spanish noblcman, arrives at Vera
Cruz and learns that the Knight Ca1avar
of whom he is in search, is with Cortez
He makes his way 10 him in company
with STRIPPING secretary, sent with hin
by Admiral Cavallero. IN the cavalcadC
are Moorish prisoner and his bog
Jacinio, whom AmadGr defends from an
officer, Salvatierra. After much difficulty
Amador reaches CoTtez's army, and finds
his kinsman, Calavar, afflicted with
melancholy and forgetfulness. The
triumphS OF Cortez have fired with jeal-
ousy the heart Of NeiasqUeZ, Governor OF
Cuba, who sent him TO conquer Mexico.
Cortez rCuts the army sent against him
by FelaSqGez, and goes to Tiasca!a, u
republican city in the midst OF the Aztec
Empire. The army advances to Cholu!a
whose people are vaSsalS TO Mexico, and
whose enemies are the Tlascalans Gala
var is struck down by the specter of u
beautiful woman. murdered by L i'm long
years ago at Granada. Abdalla the Moor
deserts to the Nc&icanS. Don Amador
becomes the protector Of JacintO. CGrtcz' S
army reaches the Aztec Capital after 4
peri!0us march, and .Iacinto disappears.
CorteZ insults Monte2uma and arouses
the wrath of the populace. Cortez's army
is fiercely attacked and the Mexicans per
ish in thouSa ands before called away by
the sounding OF the sacred bugie of Mex
It'll. Accompanied by number of mounted
men, Cortez rides toward the temple.
Don AmadCT sees in the prieSteSS a
Moorish maiden named Leila, whom he
had loved, and precipitates an attack
by dashing into the procession. The
army regains the protection of the palace
walls only after hours of fighting.
1t was a respite from death, for behind
secure; but not a respite from labor. The
Mexicans abated not iot of their ardor.
The same herds that covered the square
at dawn, were again yelling at the gates,
and with the same uncOnquerable fury;
and the soldiers, already fainting with
fatigue, with famine, and thirst (for they
had taken no refreShment since the pre-
ceding evening", were fain to purchase,
painfully, a temporary safety, by stand
ing TO the walls, and keeping the savages
at bay, as they could.
The artillery thunGered, the crosS-bows
twanged, the arquebuses added their de
structive volleys to the other warlike
noises; but the Mexicans, disregarding
these sounds, as well as the havoc made
among their ranks, rushed, in repeated
assaults, against the walls, and some
times with such violence, that they drove
the besieged from the gate, and entered
pell-mell with them into the courtyard.
linen, lnQeeO- GDSutu Il scene OF I1uEOe1;
for the Christians, flying again TO the
portal, cut of the retreat of such des-
peradoes, and slew them within the walls,
without loss, and almost at their leisure.
On such occasions, no one showed
more spirit in attacking, or more fury in
staying, than the young secretary. The
suit of goodly aTmor sent him by the Ad-
miral, and his rapid proficiency in the
practice of arms, had inffamed his vanity; |
and he burned TO approve himself worthy |
the companionship OF cavaliers.
The native conscieniOusness which |
ilied him with horror at the sight OF the |
first blood shed, the first life destroyed, |
by his hand, had vanished as a Dream |
Tor il is the excellence of war that, while |
developing our true nature, and remain
ing itself, as the link which binds man to
ais original state of barbariSm, it pre-
serves him the delights of a savage, with
,ut entirely depriving him Of the pleas
ares of civilization.
The right of shedding blood, mankind