It was seen that the Admiral could not
sail this week nor the next.
Juan Lepe, bearded, brown as a Moor, older than in the
year Granada fell, crossed with quietness much of Castile
and came on a spring evening to the castle of Don Enrique
de Cerda. Again "_Juan Lepe from the hermitage in the
oak wood_."
Seven days. I would not stay longer, but in that time the
ancient trees waved green again.
Don Enrique had been recently to Granada. "King Ferdinand
will change all matters in the West! Your islands
shall have Governors, as many as necessary. They shall
refer themselves to a High Governor at San Domingo, who
in his turn shall closely listen to a Council here."
"Will the High Governor be Don Cristoval Colon?"
"No. I hear that he himself agrees to a suspension of
his viceroyalty for two years, seeing well that in Hispaniola
is naught but faction, everything torn into `Friends of the
Genoese' and `Not friends!'. Perhaps he sees that he cannot
help himself and that he less parts with dignity by acceding.
I do not know. There is talk of Don Nicholas de Ovanda,
Commander of Lares. Your man will not, I think, be sent
before a steady wind for Viceroy again--never again. If
he presses too persistently, there can always be found one
or more who will stand and cry, `He did intend, O King--
he doth intend--to make himself King of the Indies!'
And King Ferdinand will say he does not believe, but it is
manifest that that thought must first die from men's minds.
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