196 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



Chimalpopoca, " I will point out to yon a method to get 

 " rid of your brother, and reftore yourfelf without dan- 

 ger to the pofleffion of the throne. Excufe yourfelf 

 " for not inhabiting the palace of your deceafed father, 

 under pretence that your grief is revived by the re- 

 membrance of his adlions, and the love which he bore 

 " you, and that therefore you are willing to build your- 

 felf another palace for your relidence. When it is 

 finiftied, make a fplendid entertainment, and invite your 

 " brother to it, and there, in the midft of the rejoicings, 

 it will be eafy to free your kingdom of a tyrant, and 

 yourfelf of a rival fo dangerous and unjuft ; and that 

 you may more certainly fucceed, I fliall attend to alTift 

 " you in perfon, with all the forces of my nation. 

 To fuch counfel Tajatzin made no reply, but looks of 

 dark melancholy, occafioned by the love he had to blood, 

 or the bafenefs of the a^l fuggefted to him. 



To all this difcourfe a fervant of Tajatzin was privy, 

 who had concealed himfelf where he could eaJily overhear 

 them, and hoping to make his fortune by betraying them, 

 he departed fecretly at night for Azcapozalco, went di- 

 reclly to the palace, where having obtained an audience, 

 he revealed to Maxtlaton all he had heard. His mind 

 was fuddenly feized with anger, fear, and vexation, 

 which the relation had excited ; but being politic, and 

 pradifed in diffembling his fentiments, he affected to def- 

 pife the whole, and feverely reprimanded the reporter 

 for his liardinefs and temerity in calumniating fuch re- 

 fpeclable perfonages, called him drunkard, and difmifled 

 him to digeft his wine at home. The remainder of the 

 night he pafTed in deliberation what meafure he fliould 

 purfue, and determined at laft to anticipate his brother, 

 and catch him in his own fnare. 



The 



