For at this time Cortes was absent in the coast lands, whither he had
gone to make war on Narvaez, who had been sent to subdue him by his
enemy Velasquez, the governor of Cuba.
On this day was celebrated the feast of Huitzel, that was held with
sacrifice, songs, and dances in the great court of the temple, that
court which was surrounded by a wall carved over with the writhing
shapes of snakes. It chanced that on this morning before he went to
join in the festival, Guatemoc, the prince, came to see me on a visit of
ceremony.
I asked him if he intended to take part in the feast, as the splendour
of his apparel brought me to believe.
'Yes,' he answered, 'but why do you ask?'
'Because, were I you, Guatemoc, I would not go. Say now, will the
dancers be armed?'
'No, it is not usual.'
'They will be unarmed, Guatemoc, and they are the flower of the land.
Unarmed they will dance in yonder enclosed space, and the Teules will
watch them armed. Now, how would it be if these chanced to pick a
quarrel with the nobles?'
'I do not know why you should speak thus, Teule, for surely these white
men are not cowardly murderers, still I take your words as an omen, and
though the feast must be held, for see already the nobles gather, I will
not share in it.'
'You are wise, Guatemoc,' I said. 'I am sure that you are wise.
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