Storia do Mogor 281.20.7

281.20.7

But what matters it to the reverend fathers whether they lie or tell the truth ? they have no more regard for the one than the other ; it is their interests alone which make them incline indifferently towards truth or towards falsehood. This may be noticed in the present affair. For if they were to perceive and ingenuously acknowledge their fault, and be in accord with those who stood and saw their farce, they would thereby admit themselves to be the causers of the persecution at Tanjor, and would draw down on themselves most justly the displeasure of the whole church, above all, of their Portuguese fellow-Jesuits. It was these latter who founded and tended for so many years this new Christian community and maintained the mission there. Furthermore, the Jesuit reputation for worldly wisdom would suffer, and the credit they have earned would be at stake. The Bishop of San Thome would turn against them, and might withdraw them from the cure of, and mission to, the Malabars of Pondicherry. This charge he has most unjustly, and in opposition to every rule of right and every good reason, taken from the Capuchins. Thus it is not to be thought of that the Jesuits should avow their fault, for they must not become subject to the above-named disagreeables. Still, it is most unjust for them to continue to disguise the facts and deny the truth. But we must go back to our narrative of the reverend fathers' conduct.