( '37 ) 



'* Malintzin, I have already heard through my ambafladors of thofe 

 " things which you now mention, and to which hitherto we have 

 " made no reply, becaufe we have from the firft worfliipped the gods 

 •* we now do, and confider them as juft and good. So no doubt arc 

 '* yours. In regard to the creation of the world, our beliefs are the 

 " fame, and we alfo believe you to be the people who were to come to 



us from where the fun rifes. To your great king I am indebted. 

 " There have been already perfons on our coafts, from your country; 



I wifli to know if you are all the fame people." To which Cortes 

 having replied that they were all fubjeds of the fame prince, Mon- 

 tezuma faid, that from the firft time he heard of them, it had been his 

 wifh to fee them, which his gods had now granted him ; that we 

 fhould therefore confider ourfelves as at home, and if ever we were re- 

 fufed entrance into any of his cities, it was not his fault, but that of 

 his fubjcdis, who were terrified by the reports they heard of us, fuch 

 as that we carried with us thunder and lightning, that our horfes killed 

 men, and that we were furious Teules, with other follies of that kind; 

 adding, that he faw we were men, that we were valiant and wife, 

 for which he efteemed us, and would give us proofs thereof. For this 

 condefcenfion we all exprcffed our gratitude. He then addreffed himfelf 

 to Cortes in a laughing manner, for he was very gay in converfation 

 when he was in his ftate, faying, " Malintzin, the Tlafcalans your 

 ** new friends have I know told you that I am like a god, and that 

 *' all about me is gold, and filver, and precious ftones; but you now 

 " fee that I am mere flcfh and blood, and that my houfes are built like 

 " other houfes, of lime and ftone, and timber. It is true that I am a 

 ** great king, and inherit riches from my anceftors; but for thefe 

 " ridiculous falfehoods, you treat them with the fame contempt, that 

 " I do the ftories I was told of your commanding the elements." 

 To which Cortes good-humouredly replied, that the accounts of enemies 

 were not to be relied on, paying him at the fame tim^e a handfome com- 

 pliment, upon his power and grandeur. During this converfation 

 Montezuma had made a fign to one of his principal attendants, to order 

 his officers to bring him certain pieces of gold, which he had laid apart 



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