So soon as I saw him I saluted him in the Indian fashion by touching the earth with my right hand, which I then raised to my head.
But Guatemoc, having scanned me with his eye as I stood, bow in hand, attired in my simple hunter's dress, smiled frankly and said: 'Surely, Teule, if I know anything of the looks of men, we are too equal in our birth, as in our age, for you to salute me as a slave greets his master.' And he held his hand to me.
I took it, answering with the help of Marina, who was watching this great lord with eager eyes.
'It may be so, prince, but though in my own country I am a man of repute and wealth, here I am nothing but a slave snatched from the sacrifice.' 'I know it,' he said frowning.

'It is well for all here that you were so snatched before the breath of life had left you, else Montezuma's wrath had fallen on this city.' And he looked at the cacique who trembled, such in those days was the terror of Montezuma's name.
Then he asked me if I was a Teule or Spaniard.

I told him that I was no Spaniard but one of another white race who had Spanish blood in his veins.

This saying seemed to puzzle him, for he had never so much as heard of any other white race, so I told him something of my story, at least so much of it as had to do with my being cast away.
When I had finished, he said, 'If I have understood aright, Teule, you say that you are no Spaniard, yet that you have Spanish blood in you, and came hither in a Spanish ship, and I find this story strange.

Well, it is for Montezuma to judge of these matters, so let us talk of them no more.