To prevent any suspicion of what he had done, he had the maiden
brought to his villa to witness some ceremony there. Standing on a balcony
of the palace, the king pretended to be struck with her beauty, and asked,
"Who is the lovely young woman, yonder in the garden?" Some of those
present soon learned her name and rank, which was that of a princess of
the royal house of Mexico. She was asked to enter the palace and receive
the attention due to her station, and the king was not long in publicly
declaring his love. The marriage soon after took place, in the presence of
his brother monarchs of Mexico and Tlacopan, and with great pomp and
ceremony.
Such was the one blot in the history of this famous monarch. Aside from
this act of treachery, it is remarkable to find so great and high-minded a
monarch in the early annals of the nations of Mexico, and one whose
history is so full of romantic adventure.
THE FAMOUS RETREAT OF CORTEZ AND THE SPANIARDS.
There is no chapter in all history more crowded with interesting and
romantic events than the story of the conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards
under Cortez.
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