"Ho, friends! One would think the reception not much to your liking," he said.
"We are the king's,--dust under his feet,--and it is not for us to murmur," said a sturdy cacique, first to break the disagreeable silence. "Yet our fathers gave their enemies bolts instead of banquets."
"Who may disobey the gods?" asked Maxtla.
The argument was not more sententious than unanswerable.
"Well, well!" said Hualpa. "I will get ready. Advise me, good chief: had I better take a canoe?"
"The procession will doubtless be better seen from the lake; but to hear what passes between the king and Malinche, you should be in the train. By the way, will the 'tzin be present?"
Maxtla threw back his look, and said with enthusiasm, real or affected, "Much would I like to see and hear him when the Tlascalans come flying their banners into the city! How he will flame with wrath!"
Then Hualpa considerately changed the direction of the discourse.
"Malinche will be a troublesome guest, if only from the number of his following. Will he be lodged in one of the temples?"
"A temple, indeed!" And Maxtla laughed scornfully. "A temple would be fitter lodging for the gods of Mictlan! At Cempoalla, you recollect, the _teules_ threw down the sacred gods, and butchered the pabas at the altars. Lest they should desecrate a holy house here, they are assigned to the old palace of Axaya'. To-morrow the _tamanes_ will put it in order."
Io' then asked, "Is it known how long they will stay?"
Maxtla shrugged his shoulders, and drank his _pulque_.
"Hist!" whistled a cacique. "That is what the king would give half his kingdom to know!"
"And why?" asked the boy, reddening. "Is he not master? Does it not depend upon him?"
"It depends upon no other!" cried Maxtla, dashing his palm upon the table until the goblets danced. "By the holy gods, he has but to speak the word, and these guests will turn to victims!"
And Hualpa, surprised at the display of spirit, seconded the chief: "Brave words, O my lord Maxtla! They give us hope."
"He will treat them graciously," Maxtla continued, "because they come by his request; but when he tells them to depart, if they obey not,--if they obey not,--when was his vengeance other than a king's? Who dares say he cannot, by a word, end this visit?"