Besides, he will be able to tell us something of Mexico; although, as Marina says, he was only once at the capital.
"Question him, Aquilar, and find out from him whether its magnificence is as great as we hear." Roger told all he knew of the capital, and said that, although he himself could not say more than that it was a great city, he had heard that its population was nearly three hundred thousand; and that it certainly seemed to him fully three times as large as that of Tezcuco, where he said there were one hundred thousand people.
"And it stands on an island in a lake ?" Cortez asked.
"There are three causeways leading to the land, each wide enough for six horsemen to ride abreast," Roger replied; "but it would be a difficult thing to force an entrance, by these, in the face of Montezuma's army." "Well, gentlemen," Cortez said, "it is time for us to be going to the council.
"Marina, do you take your friend to my private apartment, and bid Juan furnish him with a suit of clothes; and with armor, from that belonging to our friends who fell in the fights the other day.

We will soon make a true cavalier of him." As soon as Roger was equipped, he went out to the steps of the palace, and presently descried Bathalda in the crowd.

He beckoned to him and, taking him into the garden, had a long talk with him.
He would have rewarded him largely for his services, but Bathalda refused to accept anything.
"I came at my lord's orders," he said; "and am rejoiced to have been of service to one who is at once so kind, so strong, and so valiant." "As you will.

We shall have further opportunities of meeting, Bathalda.

Do you now make your way back to Tezcuco.