HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



213 



inconftancy in abandoning the party of the Tepanecas, 

 for the prince Nezahualcojotl, muft have excited in the 

 tyrant. While he waited the anfwer of Maxtlaton, he 

 ordered the prifoners to be fliut up again in the fame 

 prifon, and under cufliody of the fame Quateotzin. He 

 compaiFionating the delliny of a youth fo illuftrious and 

 brave, in the evening preceding the day on which the an- 

 fwer from Azcapozalco was expelled, called one of his 

 fervants to him, whofe fidelity he could truft, and order- 

 ed him to fet the prifoners at liberty that evening, and to 

 acquaint Montezuma from him, that he had come to the 

 refolucion of faving his life, although at the vifible riik 

 of lofmg his own ; that if he (hould die for it, which he 

 had reafon to fear would be his fate, Montezuma, he 

 hoped, would not fail to fliew his gratitude, by protect- 

 ing the children whom he left behind him ; laflly, he ad- 

 vifed him not to return by land to Mexico, otherwife he 

 would again be taken by the guards which were pofted 

 in the way, but to go through Iztapallocan to Chimal- 

 huacan, and from thence to embark for his own city. 



The faithful fervant executed the order, and Montezu- 

 ma followed the advice of Quateotzin. They went out 

 of prifon that night, and cautiouily took the road to Chi- 

 malhuacan, where they remained concealed all the next 

 day, living on raw vegetables for want of other food ; at 

 night they embarked, and tranfported themfelves fwiftly 

 to Mexico, where, as it was fuppofed, they had already 

 met with death from the enemy, they were received 

 with lingular welcome and joy. 



As foon as the barbarous Toteotzin was informed that 

 the prifoners were efcaped, he was tranfported with 

 paffion, and as he did not in the leaft doubt that Quate- 

 otzin had been the author of their liberty, he ordered in- 



ftant 



