had just arrived. When the chiefs heard the news they fairly turned pale from fright, and leaving Cortes they hastened to receive the Mexicans and to have a room decked with flowers, and food, especially cacao or chocolate, cooked and served.
In reaching the house of the cacique it was necessary for these five Mexicans to go by our quarters, and they affected such arrogance and reserve that they passed us by without a word. They wore richly embroidered cloaks and loin cloths, and their hair was combed till it was quite glossy and tied in a knot on the head. Each carried sweet-scented roses which he was smelling, each also a stick with a hook, and each had an Indian with a fan to keep off the flies. A company of chief men from neighboring towns escorted them to their lodgings.
As soon as they had dined they sent for the fat cacique and other chiefs of the townships and scolded them roundly for speaking and dealing with us. Uttering many threats, they said they should neither have sheltered us nor given us any gold without Montezuma's permission, and now they must pay dearly for what they had done and at once deliver for sacrifice twenty Indians, men and women, so that the god of war would grant them victory over us.
Observing how restless every one seemed, Cortes asked Donna Marina and Aguilar what it was that was happening, and who these strange Indians were.
