31.4 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



dearly love." The queen pierced with the mofl lively 

 grief, and defpairing of being able to fliake the conftancy 

 of the king, told him, " Since you have banifhed from 

 " your heart all the affections of a father and a huf- 



band for fo flight a caufe, why do you hefitate to put 

 " me to death and thefe young princes whom I have 



borne to you ?" The king then with a grave afpeft 

 commanded her to retire, as the cafe was without a re- 

 medy. The difappointed queen retreated to her apart- 

 ment, and there, in company with fome of her attendants 

 who went to confole her, abandoned herfelf to grief. 

 In the mean while, thofe who were charged with the 

 punifhment of the prince, continued to delay it, that time 

 might foften the rigour of juflice, and give opportunity 

 for the return of parental affeClion and mercy ; but the 

 king perceiving their intention, commanded that they 

 fliould immediately do their duty, which accordingly fol- 

 lowed, to the general difpleafure of the kingdom, and 

 the utmoft difguft to Montezuma, not only on account of 

 the relation between himfelf and the prince, but likewife 

 of the interference which he made in the prince's favour, 

 having been unfuccefsful in procuring a repeal of the fen- 

 tencc. After the punifliment was executed, the king 

 fliut himfelf up for forty days in a hall, without letting 

 himfelf be feen by any one, while he fecretly vented his 

 grief, and made the door of his fon's apartment be clofed 

 up with a wall, to hide from his fight any remembrancer 

 of his forrows. 



His feverity in punifliing tranfgreffors was compen- 

 fated by the compaffion which he fliewed for the acci- 

 dental diftreffes of any of his fubjeCls. There was a win- 

 dow in his palace which looked towards the market- 

 place, covered with blinds, from which he ufed to ob- 



fcrve> 



