MONTEZUMA'S DAUGHTER

by H. Rider Haggard



NOTE

The more unpronounceable of the Aztec names are shortened in many
instances out of consideration for the patience of the reader; thus
'Popocatapetl' becomes 'Popo,' 'Huitzelcoatl' becomes 'Huitzel,' &c.
The prayer in Chapter xxvi. is freely rendered from Jourdanet's French
translation of Fray Bernardino de Sahagun's History of New Spain,
written shortly after the conquest of Mexico (Book VI, chap. v.), to
which monumental work and to Prescott's admirable history the author of
this romance is much indebted. The portents described as heralding the
fall of the Aztec Empire, and many of the incidents and events written
of in this story, such as the annual personation of the god Tezcatlipoca
by a captive distinguished for his personal beauty, and destined to
sacrifice, are in the main historical. The noble speech of the Emperor
Guatemoc to the Prince of Tacuba uttered while they both were suffering
beneath the hands of the Spaniards is also authentic.



DEDICATION

My dear Jebb,

Strange as were the adventures and escapes of Thomas Wingfield, once of