CHAPTER VI.

MUNIFICENCE OF MONTEZUMA--THE ROYAL BANQUET--THE REQUITAL--THE EMPEROR A PRISONER IN HIS OWN PALACE. 97

Grand military display by the Spaniards--The terror of the Aztecs--Fearlessness and high purpose of Guatimozin and others--The Banquet--The company--A contrast--The strangers presented to the Queen--Her grace and dignity--Beauty of the Aztec women--Awkward position of the admiring Cavaliers--Their ingenuity in pantomime--Readily matched by the Aztec--Sandoval and the Princess--Cortez and Karee--Guatimozin and Cacama in argument--The Princess interposes--Sternness of Guatimozin--An incident--Orteguilla--Alvarado and the Naiads--Metamorphosed into a flower-god--Pays homage to the Princess--The feast--The true character of the invaders--Bold movement of Cortez--Montezuma's blind submission to fate--Voluntarily becomes a vassal to the crown of Spain--A still bolder movement of Cortez--Montezuma remonstrates, but yields, and becomes a prisoner in the Spanish quarters--Indignation of the nobles--Portentous omen--Distress in the palace--The Princess expostulates with her father--The parting, and the promised meeting--Guatimozin departs in disgust--His interview with the Princess at Chapoltepec--Courageous hopes--Oracle and omens--Timidity made bold by love.