Burmese Days

by George Orwell

There must be no accusations that can be answered, and yet within three months I must fix it in the head of every European in Kyauktada that the doctor is a villain. What shall I accuse him of? Bribes will not do, a doctor does not get bribes to any extent. What then?” “We could perhaps arrange a mutiny in the jail,” said Ba Sein. “As superintendent, the doctor would be blamed.” “No, it is too dangerous. I do not want the jail warders firing their rifles in all directions. Besides, it would be expensive. Clearly, then, it must be disloyalty—Nationalism, seditious propaganda. We must persuade the Europeans that the doctor holds disloyal, anti-British opinions. That is far worse than bribery; they expect a native official to take bribes. But let them suspect his loyalty even for a moment, and he is ruined.” “It would be a hard thing to prove,” objected Ba Sein. “The doctor is very loyal to the Europeans. He grows angry when anything is said against them. They will know that, do you not think?”