The messenger had soon disappeared, and Cortés assured the smiling Montezuma that he was now perfectly convinced of his innocence in the matter, but that it was quite necessary that his own sovereign should be assured of it. Nothing could therefore be better than that Montezuma should transfer his residence to the palace occupied by the Spaniards, as this would show a personal regard for the Spanish monarch which would free him from all suspicion.
To this proposal Montezuma listened with the greatest amazement, and then exclaimed, with resentment and offended dignity:
“When was it that a great prince like myself willingly left his own palace to become a prisoner in the hands of strangers?”
“You will not go as a prisoner,” replied the artful Cortés, “but will simply be changing your residence.”
“If I should consent to such a degradation,” cried Montezuma, wrathfully, “my subjects never would.”
But Cortés was obdurate and insisted that the Aztec should go, in spite of the fact that the Emperor offered him one of his sons and two of his daughters as hostages, so that he might be spared this disgrace. Thus two hours passed by in a fruitless discussion.
Finally Velasquez de Leon, one of the cavaliers, who was impatient at the long delay, cried out in loud tones:
“Why do we waste words on this barbarian? Let us seize him, and, if he resists, let us plunge our swords into his body!”
The fierce tones of the man in armor, coupled with his menacing gesture, alarmed Montezuma, who asked Marina what the angry Spaniard had remarked. The Mexican girl explained, as gently as she could, what had been said, then besought him to accompany the white men, who would surely treat him with respect and kindness.
“If you refuse,” she whispered, “you will, perhaps, be killed.”
As she said this, the Emperor shuddered, and, looking around for some sympathetic glance, saw only the stern faces and mail-clad forms of the Spaniards. He felt that, should he refuse, he would be immediately dispatched.
“I will go with you, Malinche,” said he, in a scarcely audible voice. “Bring forward the royal litter!”
As the Aztec retinue marched dejectedly down the avenue to the Spanish quarters, the people crowded together, crying out that Montezuma had been carried off by force.