Character of the Aztecs—Spanish Quarters—The City in Arms—Growing Hatred toward the Invaders—Perilous Position of Alvarado—Montezuma Called to Interfere—Failing Provisions—Miraculous Water—Cortés to the Rescue—Rendezvous at Tlascala—The City and its People—The Army Joins Alvarado—Desperate Encounters 419 CHAPTER XXIV. FIGHT UPON THE TEMPLE SUMMIT. June, 1520. The Natives Continue the Assault—Their Fierce Bravery—The Spaniards Build Turrets—Still the Mexicans Prove too Strong for Them—Montezuma Called to Intercede—He is Insulted and Stoned by his Subjects—Cortés Attempts Egress by the Tlacopan Causeway—Failure of Escobar to Take the Pyramid—Cortés Gains the Slippery Height—The Gladiatorial Combat There 436 CHAPTER XXV. DEATH OF MONTEZUMA. June, 1520. A Living Death—The Old Imperial Party and the New Power—Aztec Defiance—Perilous Position of the Spaniards—Disappointment to Cortés—Another Sally—The Dying Monarch—He has No Desire to Live—His Rejection of a New Faith—He will None of the Heaven of the Spaniards—Commends his Children to Cortés—The Character of Montezuma and of his Reign 449 CHAPTER XXVI. LA NOCHE TRISTE. June 30, 1520. The Captive-King Drama Carried too Far—Better had the Spaniards Taken Montezuma’s Advice, and have Departed while Opportunity Offered—Diplomatic Value of a Dead Body—Necessity for an Immediate Evacuation of the City—Departure from the Fort—Midnight Silence—The City Roused by a Woman’s Cry—The Fugitives Fiercely Attacked on All Sides—More Horrors 463 CHAPTER XXVII. RETREAT TO TLASCALA. July, 1520. Fatal Mistake of the Mexicans—A Brief Respite Allowed the Spaniards—The Remnant of the Army at Tlacopan—They Set out for Tlascala—An ever increasing Force at their Heels—Rest at the Tepzolac Temple—Cortés Reviews his Disasters—The March Continued amidst Great Tribulation—Encounter of the Grand Army—Important Battle and Remarkable Victory—Arrival at Tlascala—The Friendly Reception Accorded them There 482 CHAPTER XXVIII. INVALUABLE FRIENDSHIP. July-September, 1520. Divers Disasters to the Spaniards—Mexico Makes Overtures to Tlascala—A Council Held—Tlascala Remains True to the Spaniards—Disaffection in the Spanish Army—Cortés again Wins the Soldiers to his Views—Renewal of Active Operations against the Aztecs—Success of the Spanish Arms—Large Reinforcements of Native Allies—One Aztec Stronghold after another Succumbs 509 CHAPTER XXIX. KING-MAKING AND CONVERTING. October-December, 1520.