The Horoscope--Faith in the revelations of Astrology--Montezuma in his palace--The message delivered--Resignation--Fatalism--Infancy of the Princess--The slave Karee--Obtains her freedom--The Chinampa--Genius and faith of Karee--Her devotion to the Princess--Chivalry of the Aztecs. CHAPTER II. YOUTH OF THE PRINCESS--HER EARLY LOVE REVEALED--PROPHETIC ANNOUNCEMENT, AND SUDDEN ARRIVAL OF THE SPANIARDS. 27 Superstitious forebodings of Montezuma--Loveliness of his daughter--Her suitors--The Prince of Tezcuco--Karee-o-thán--A secret revealed--Guatimozin--The ancient legend--The young Pythoness--Her vision--Warning and appeal--The vision realized--The pictured scroll--Agitation of Montezuma--A second courier--The royal council--Courtesy to the strangers--Splendid embassy--Their meeting with Cortez--Munificent presents--Avarice of the Spaniards--They make interest with the Totonacs, and send proposals to Tlascala--Their proposal rejected--They meet and conquer the Tlascalans--An alliance formed--The compeers of Cortez--Xicotencatl--The strength and weakness of the Aztecs. CHAPTER III. SUPERSTITIOUS FEARS AND VACILLATING POLICY OF MONTEZUMA. 45 Frequent embassies and rich presents to the Spaniards--Montezuma, fearing to act openly, plots their destruction secretly--Cortez cautioned by the Tlascalans--His prudence and strict discipline--Cuitlahua urges Montezuma to bold decided measures--Scene in the royal garden--Mysterious chant--Warning--Its effect--Montezuma roused to action--Energy of Cuitlahua--The army in motion to repel the enemy--Confident of victory--The monarch changes his plan--A stratagem--Cholula--The army arrested in its march--The Spaniards in Cholula--Hospitable reception--Sudden change--Suspicion of treachery--Perilous position and bold bearing of Cortez--His demand upon the Cholulan princes--Charges them with conspiracy--Their alarm and apology--Terrible massacre--Conflict on the great Teocalli--The Spaniards victorious--Painful position of Cuitlahua and his army--Tlascalans in Cholula. CHAPTER IV. AGITATIONS IN THE CAPITAL--THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD--THE SPANIARDS STEADILY ADVANCING. 65