Unable further to endure these abominations, Cortes, attended by
several of his cavaliers, waited on Montezuma. He told the emperor
that the Christians could no longer consent to have the services of
their religion shut up within the narrow walls of the garrison. They
wished to spread its light far abroad, and to open to the people a
full participation in the blessings of Christianity. For this
purpose they requested that the great teocalli should be delivered up,
as a fit place where their worship might be conducted in the
presence of the whole city.
Montezuma listened to the proposal with visible consternation.
Amidst all his troubles he had leaned for support on his own faith,
and, indeed, it was in obedience to it that he had shown such
deference to the Spaniards as the mysterious messenger predicted by
the oracles. "Why," said he, "Malinche, why will you urge matters to
an extremity, that must surely bring down the vengeance of our gods,
and stir up an insurrection among my people, who will never endure
this profanation of their temples?"
Cortes, seeing how greatly he was moved, made a sign to his
officers to withdraw. When left alone with the interpreters, he told
the emperor that he would use his influence to moderate the zeal of
his followers, and persuade them to be contented with one of the
sanctuaries of the teocalli. If that were not granted, they should
be obliged to take it by force, and to roll down the images of his
false deities in the face of the city.
Pages:
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481