He
received the embassy with his usual courtesy, declaring, as before,
that he could not answer it to his own sovereign, if he were now to
return without visiting the emperor in his capital. It would be much
easier to arrange matters by a personal interview than by distant.
negotiation. The Spaniards came in the spirit of peace. Montezuma
would so find it, but, should their presence prove burdensome to
him, it would be easy for them to relieve him of it.
The Aztec monarch, meanwhile, was a prey to the most dismal
apprehensions. It was intended that the embassy above noticed should
reach the Spaniards before they crossed the mountains. When he learned
that this was accomplished, and that the dread strangers were on their
march across the valley, the very threshold of his capital, the last
spark of hope died away in his bosom. Like one who suddenly finds
himself on the brink of some dark and yawning gulf, he was too much
bewildered to be able to rally his thoughts, or even to comprehend his
situation. He was the victim of an absolute destiny, against which
no foresight or precautions could have availed. It was as if the
strange beings, who had thus invaded his shores, had dropped from some
distant planet, so different were they from all he had ever seen, in
appearance and manners; so superior- though a mere handful in numbers-
to the banded nations of Anahuac in strength and science, and all
the fearful accompaniments of war! They were now in the valley.
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