Montoro laid his hand for one moment on the younger man's arm, as he murmured earnestly—
"Only free from care and toil a little sooner, Juan. We shall join him. Methinks rest must be very grateful after labour."
[CHAPTER XXXVIII.]
THE DOWNFALL OF AN EMPIRE.
The fate of the young commander of the garrison of Vera Cruz, and of poor Morla, effected a speedy change in the sentiments of the whole of the Spaniards towards their Mexican entertainers.
"When the Tlascalans entered upon hostilities with us," said Juan de Cabrera, with a grim laugh, "they fed us up as men feed fowls, to make them fatter eating for themselves; but then, like sturdy, blunt warriors as they are, they told us so, whereas——"
"Ay," interrupted that hot-headed Velasquez, "whereas these smooth-spoken scoundrels here fill our mouths with one hand, only that our eyes may be covered while they give us a dose of itztli with the other."
"Well, well," said Hernan Cortes himself, rather gravely, "it may be so; and verily I hope it is, for I confess I would fain believe that we are but about to meet treachery with treachery, and not true-hearted generosity with cruelty."
The two officers glanced at one another significantly as they moved away out of hearing, and Velasquez remarked irritably to his companion—