30 



CONQUEST OF TLASCALA CHOLULA. 



soon manifestecj. Cortez was attacked by them on the borders of 

 their Republic, and fought four sharp battles with fifty thousand 

 warriors who maintained, in all the conflicts, their reputation for 

 military skill and hardihood. At length the Tlascalans were forced 

 to acknowledge the superiority of the invaders, whom they could 

 not overcome either by stratagem or battle, and, after the exchange 

 of embassies and gifts, they honored our hero with a triumphal 

 entry into their capital. 



The news of these victories as well as of the fatal alliance which 

 ensued with the Tlascalans, was soon borne to the court of Monte- 

 zuma, who began to tremble for the fate of his empire when he saw 

 the fall of the indomitable foes who had held him so long at bay. 

 Two embassies to Cortez succeeded each other, in vain. Presents 

 were no longer of avail. His offer of tribute to the Spanish king 

 was not listened to. All requests that the conqueror should not 

 advance towards his capital were unheeded. " The command of 

 his own emperor," said Cortez, " was the only reason which could 

 induce him to disregard the wishes of an Aztec prince, for whom 

 he cherished the profoundest respect ! " Soon after, another em- 

 bassy came from Montezuma with magnificent gifts and an invita- 

 tion to his capital, yet with a request that he would break with his 

 new allies and approach Mexico through the friendly city of Cho- 

 lula. The policy of this request on the part of Montezuma, will be 

 seen in the sequel. Our hero, accompanied by six thousand volun- 

 teers from Tlascala, advanced towards the sacred city, — the site 

 of the most splendid temple in the empire, whose foundations yet 

 remain in the nineteenth century. The six intervening leagues 

 were soon crossed, and he entered Cholula with his Spanish army, 

 attended by no other Indians than those who accompanied him from 

 Cempoalla. At first, the General and his companions were treated 

 hospitably, and the suspicions which had been instilled into his 

 mind by the Tlascalans were lulled to sleep. However, he soon 

 had cause to become fearful of treachery. Messengers arrived 

 from Montezuma, and his entertainers were observed to be less 

 gracious in their demeanor. It was noticed that several important 

 streets had been barricaded or converted into pitfalls, whilst stones, 

 missiles and weapons were heaped on the flat roofs of houses. 

 Besides this, Mariana had become intimate with the wife of one 

 of the Caciques, and cunningly drew from her gossiping friend the 

 whole conspiracy that was brewing against the adventurers. Mon- 

 tezuma, she learned, had stationed twenty thousand Mexicans near 



