NO. 41.— 1890.] REBELION DE CEYLAN. 



591 



disposition, 1 cannot persuade myself that it was his inten- 

 tion to offend a knight so honoured and respected, of 

 such distinguished services, occupying the second position 

 in India, a Governor and Captain-General of the king. It 

 might have happened when the Viceroy was gathering 

 information about the state and affairs of India that he 

 listened to men who were hostile to the General : and as 

 there is nothing more common than envy in mankind, and 

 less noticed because of the disguises under which it lurks 

 (sometimes hiding its venom under the cloak of zeal, at other 

 times under that of modesty, often under that of friendship, 

 only to obtain its ends), it may be that under these 

 appearances, in order to deceive the Viceroy, they did all 

 they could to tarnish the General's actions which had made 

 them so envious ; for there is nothing which foments envy 

 more than success, courage praised, and virtue applauded. 



The Island of Ceylan was, as we have said, well governed ; 

 and although the King of Candidas hands were strengthened 

 by the conspiracy of Columbo, he was kept in check by the 

 fortresses ; and although he was not actually beleagured, yet 

 was he not quite free. The Governor, therefore, until he 

 heard of the Prince of UvcCs coming, had been proceeding 

 slowly with the war in the hope of gathering strength, and 

 that His Majesty would assist him after what the Captains had 

 represented to him, so that he would bring about the conquest 

 and end the war once and for all ; and to do that which would 

 please him most, to stamp out the name of the idolater of 

 Kandy, and bring the whole Island under one rule. Through 

 it all he judged it best to seem ignorant of the conspiracy, 

 and to tolerate the insult that the Prince of Uva had offered. 



When the second letter from the Viceroy reached the General 

 the Zingala traitors were working out their evil plot to its 

 end ; and with diffidence he decided to follow the way to his 

 destruction. All things seem to help in misfortune ; the 

 most diverse ways seem to conform when God brings about 

 the punishment. 



Just at this time Ambrosio de Freitas resumed the duties 



