The National tribune., 1899-04-27

ayenging his injuries on the oppressors
"Speak thou to thy father, my Benitaf
cried De Morla, in her own language, u
the terrified princess, "and let him stay
| the work of blood: for none but he has ths
power. Tell him, we desire peace, repen
the wrongs we have done him, ana WI
| redress them. If he will regain his liberty
and his empire,-f he will save his peo
pie, his children, and himself, from one
| common and fearful destruction, let MN
| forget that we have done him wfong' ane
pronounce the words OF peace"
| The Indian maiden threw herself AT TN
feet of the king, and bathing his hanas
with tears, repeated the charge OIL tns
cavalier.
Montezuma gazed upon her with soI1o"
and upon his other children; then looking
coldly to Don fernando, he said, WIN
tranquil voice, while Dona Marina rapiolS
interpreted his expressions:
| "What will the Teuctli have! lie com.
mands a captive to shield him from inc
darts of free warriors: MonteZuma IS
prisoner He calls upon me to quiet
raging people: Montezuma has no people
| He commands me to regain my llpefty:
| the Mexican that hath been once slave,
can be a freeman no more. lie Dius INC "
save nv children: / have none! they arc
servants in the house of a stranger.-de
| that is in bonds, hath no OtfSprlng! :,
While he spoke the din increased as "
the yelling assailants were pressing up 70
the very walls Cf the palace; ana many
cavaliers, incapable of remaining longer
inactive, and despairing OF his assistance,
rushed from the apartment to JOIN IN lno
combat.
"Why does he waste time in wordss'
cried Cortez, "At every moment there
are slain a thousand of his subIects!
All there were O,GOn," said the captive,
assuming, at last, the dignity that pc
came his name, and speaking with
stately anger, "and if but one Chrisuan !,
lay dead among them, Montezuma shoulo
not mourn the loss. Happier would ne
he left with the few and mangled rem
nants, with his throne on the grave OF the
strangers, than, this moment, were no
restored to his millions with the children
of the East abiding by him in triendshIP.
Thou callest upon me to appease my
people. Thou knOwest that they are
thine; Why should they not i'S'en -
GAY, why should they nots" said Don
fernando, speaking rather to hlmseH
than to Montezuma, and flnglng sat-
casms on his own head. "By my con-
science, | know not; for though l was
somewhat conceited to grasp az ne J.
scepter SO early, l think l may hoI9 II
with as much dignity as amy uearEen %
were he a Turkish Sultan.-hearke
Montezuma: thou art deceived: thy pe1
ple are not mine, but thine, ana throusn
tbee as his sworn vaSSal, the SuDlectS oi
INV master, the king of Spain. Conntm
thy vassallage to him, by tribute DC uue
TO thy allegiance, and remain on u!
throne forever; and, if such be thy de-
sire will straiehtway Withdraw my army
from the empire, SO that thou mayest
reign according to thine own baroarous
81 trust thee not" said the king, Tor
already hast thou deceived me. revoke
NV vows of vassailage; for he that mas ho
Kingdom, cannot be KING uePuty,
Do tby worst" continued the monarch
with increasing boldness, no longer re-
garding the furious looks OF Don HeI-
1ando. and learning, at last, to deserve
the respect of his foes. "Do thy WORST;
Thou hast degraded me with CHAINS, and
with words OF insult; nothing more eahst
thou do, but kill! Kill me, then, IL tnou
wilt; and in Mictlan Will l TelDt1Gie, 40,
know that my betrayers shall foiio" mel M
Yes" he added, with wild energy,
know that, at this moment, your heart is
frozen with fear, and your blood turned
to water, seeing that revenge mas IeaEneo ,
YOU. ard that your doom IS DEAN! Inc
wTuIIger of the lords OF Isnnchtliian mas
learned to tremble before its basest herds;
and let him tremble,-for the basest Of
them shall trample upon his BODY
"Am I menaced by this traitor to his
cried Cortez.
"Scnor," said De bioTla, "let us trlhe
the time with no more deception. Ihere
is no one of our people who does not per
ceiye that we can maintain our post In
this city no longer, and that we cannon
even escape from il, without the permis-
sion of our foes. This knows Montezuma,
as we'll as ourselves. Why incense him.
why strive to cajole him iurtheri Let us
tell him the truth, and buy safety by re-
Storing, at once, what we cannot keep;