In the meantime some of the Indians approached the two caciques and whispered something in their ears which greatly astonished them. They sprang up affrighted, and left the spot trembling. Uncertain what might be the cause of their fear, they were followed, and the reason was soon discovered. Six splendidly clad representatives of Montezuma accompanied by a considerable number of slaves, holding feather umbrellas over their heads, passed the Spanish quarters with glances of contempt at Cortes and his officers. Their haughtiness so enraged the soldiers that they were restrained with difficulty from violently assaulting the Mexicans. Marina, who had been sent to gather information, returned with the news that they had bitterly reproached the two caciques for their treachery in receiving strangers, who were the declared enemies of their sovereign. As a penalty for their disloyalty, besides the customary tribute, twenty Indians should be delivered over to them as a sacrifice to the offended deities. Cortes was enraged but wisely refrained from giving expression to his wrath. He assured the caciques they need have no fear of harm and instructed them to bring Montezuma’s messengers before him in chains to give an account of themselves. The caciques, who had been used to absolute obedience to their master, hesitated, but Cortes, leaving them no time for reflection, repeated his orders so emphatically that they dared not offer objection. The messengers were arrested, the Spaniards, for appearances’ sake, taking no part in it. Having gone thus far, the caciques would have gone still further and done to the fettered messengers what Montezuma proposed to do to the Indians, but Cortes objected to such inhumanity and ordered that the prisoners should be guarded by his own men. Cortes desired, if possible, to conceal the appearance of open hostility to the powerful Montezuma. He cunningly planned to put him under obligations to himself by making him believe he had not the least connection with what had occurred. With this purpose in view he summoned two of the prisoners at night, announced to them that they were free, and instructed them to inform their master that he would strive to secure the liberty of the others, and with this dismissed them. The Indians were told the next day that the prisoners had escaped. Shortly after this, the other prisoners were permitted to join their companions. This tricky dealing had the effect which Cortes expected. In the meantime other caciques were found in the neighboring mountainous region who shared the same hatred toward their Emperor and were equally desirous of escaping his tyrannical rule. All these heads of Indian tribes, bearing the general name of Totonacs, entered into agreements with Cortes, disavowed the authority of Montezuma, and declared themselves vassals of the King of Spain.