of them was in his hand, and Tenoctitlan alone remained untouched. Many
indeed surrendered, for the nations of Anahuac being of various blood
were but as a bundle of reeds and not as a tree. Thus when the power of
Spain cut the band of empire that bound them together, they fell this
way and that, having no unity. So it came about that as the power
of Guatemoc weakened that of Cortes increased, for he garnered these
loosened reeds into his basket. And, indeed, now that the people saw
that Mexico had met her match, many an ancient hate and smouldering
rivalry broke into flame, and they fell upon her and tore her, like
half-tamed wolves upon their master when his scourge is broken. It was
this that brought about the fall of Anahuac. Had she remained true to
herself, had she forgotten her feuds and jealousies and stood against
the Spaniards as one man, then Tenoctitlan would never have fallen, and
Cortes with every Teule in his company had been stretched upon the stone
of sacrifice.

Did I not say when I took up my pen to write this book that every wrong
revenges itself at last upon the man or the people that wrought it?
So it was now. Mexico was destroyed because of the abomination of the
worship of her gods. These feuds between the allied peoples had their
root in the horrible rites of human sacrifice. At some time in the past,
from all these cities captives have been dragged to the altars of the
gods of Mexico, there to be slaughtered and devoured by the cannibal
worshippers. Now these outrages were remembered, now when the arm of
the queen of the valley was withered, the children of those whom she had
slain rose up to slay her and to drag HER children to their altars.

By the month of May, strive as we would, and never was a more gallant
fight made, all our allies were crushed or had deserted us, and the
siege of the city began. It began by land and by water, for with