III
1.So firmly convinced was Montezuma that Cortes was an ambassador from the gods，whose will it was that he should undergo this torment，that he consented to each new demand of the Spaniards without opposition.At last came the demand that the king and his lordsshould swear allegianceto Spain，and consent to paytribute.Montezuma obediently assembled his lords and nobles，and addressed them with great emotion.He told them to show their last act of obedience by acknowledging the great king beyond the waters，and by paying him the tribute due to himself.
2.As he concluded，his voice broke and tears fell down his cheeks.At the sight of his distress his lords were deeply moved.His will had always been their law，they said；it should be so still，they asserted amid their sobs.Even among the triumphant Spaniards there was not a dry eye that day.The tribute consisted of three great heaps of gold.“Take it，”sobbed Montezuma，“and let it be recorded in your annals that the king sent this present to your master.”
3.Not satisfied with this，Cortes went a step further.The temple must be given up for Christian worship.“Why，why will you urge matters to an extremity？”cried Montezuma，who through all his troubles turnedto his gods and his oracles.“Why will you bring downthe vengeance of our gods，and stir up rebellion amongmy people，who will never consent to this profanationof their temple？”But this too had to be conceded .
4.Nevertheless，as time went on，it became evident to Cortes that he had pushed things too far.Signs of discontent began to show themselves among the Mexicans，and the Spaniards grew uneasy.“Go，”said Montezuma，“if you have any regard for yourselves；go without delay.You have enraged my gods and trampled on my priests.I have but to raise my finger，and every Indian will rise against you.”These words were spoken in May.
5.It was in the middle of June that trouble broke out.Six hundred Indians were massacred by the Spaniards while they were engaged in a sacred rite.Then all the pent-up hostility against the Spaniards broke forth in one great cry for revenge.Cortes and his men were driven from the streets and besieged inthe palace where they lodged.The rage of the peopleknew no bounds.Hundreds were mowed down by the Spanish guns，but still the mob pressed on.
6.At last Montezuma agreed to address the crowd of Indians，in the hope of making peace.Surrounded by a guard of Spaniards and a few of his own nobles，the Indian monarch ascended the central turret of his palace.The clang of instruments，the fierce cries，were hushed，and a deathlike silence reigned over the wholecrowd.Many prostratedthemselves on the ground，others bent the knee，and all eyes turned towards the king whom they had been taught to reverence with slavish awe，from whose face they had been taught to turn away as too divine to look upon.
7.Once more Montezuma felt himself a king，as with his old authority he spoke to them for the last time.“Why do I see my people here in arms against the palace of my fathers？Is it that you think your king is a prisoner，and that you wish to release him？If so，you have acted rightly.But you are mistaken.I am no prisoner.The strangers are my guests.I remain with them only from choice，and can leave them when I like.Return to your homes then.Lay down your arms.Show your obedience to me who have a right to it.The white men shall go back to their land，and all shall be well again.”
8.Then Montezuma was the friend of the hatedSpaniards after all！A murmur of contemptran throughthe crowd.Did he not care for the insults and injuriestheir great nation had received？It was intolerable .
The blood of the Mexicans was up；passion and revenge urged them on.“Coward！traitor！”Such words were flung at the unhappy monarch.They were followed by a cloud of stones and arrows，and Montezuma fell senseless to the ground.
9.He was borne below by his faithful nobles；but he had nothing more to live for.He had tasted the last drop in his cup of bitterness-his own people had turned against him.In vain did Cortes try to soothe the anguish of his spirit，in vain did his attendants try to nurse him back to life；he tore the bandages from his wounds，herefused comfort.He sat in gloomy silence brooding over his fallen fortune，and on June 30，1520，he died.
10.Cortes then attacked the natives，and was almostdefeated by overwhelmingnumbers.The Spaniardshad given up hope，when Cortes cut down the Mexican standard-bearer and seized the sacred banner.As soon as they saw this in the hands of the Spaniards，the natives threw down their arms and fled to themountains.Thus the country of Mexico，with its great mines of gold and silver，became the property of the King of Spain.The conquered Aztecs were compelled to work in the mines as slaves.For three hundred years the country was ruled by Spain；at the end of that time it again became free.The Mexicans of today are partly Indians and partly Spanish in descent，but there are some who still remember with pride that they are descendants of the ancient Aztecs.
