But he rose sighing, and said: 'I had far sooner lose my kingdoms than have won these fowls, for if I had lost my kingdoms they would still have passed into the hands of one of my own race.

Now alas! my possessions and his must come under the hand of strangers, who shall cast down our gods and bring our names to nothing.' And having spoken thus, he rose, and taking farewell of the emperor, he departed for his own land, where, as it chanced, he died very shortly, without living to see the fulfilment of his fears.
On the morrow of his departure came further accounts of the doings of the Spaniards that plunged Montezuma into still greater alarm.

In his terror he sent for an astronomer, noted throughout the land for the truth of his divinations.

The astronomer came, and was received by the emperor privately.

What he told him I do not know, but at least it was nothing pleasant, for that very night men were commanded to pull down the house of this sage, who was buried in its ruins.
Two days after the death of the astronomer, Montezuma bethought him that, as he believed, I also was a Teule, and could give him information.