Base characters regard clemency as a sign of weakness, not as a virtue. Humiliated by an unmerited pardon, he rendered himself still more unworthy by entering into a new conspiracy. As he needed fellow-conspirators for the execution of his evil designs, he corrupted by means of specious promises, the three Princes of Champa, who, like himself had sought refuge in Siam, after the death of their father to escape from the machinations of their brother, who having succeeded to the throne, would have in accordance with Mahommedan usage, laid violent hands on possible rivals.
These Princes conspired with the Prince of Macassar to open a road to the throne. Their plot was, at first, to place the crown on the head of the youngest of the King's brothers and to reign in the name of the crowned phantom. They were resolved to compass his destruction after having elevated him to the throne and to substitute one of themselves by vote. It seemed that the interests of their religion justified the conspiracy in their sight. They intended to offer to Christians and Mahomedans alike, the alternatives of death or the Koran.
One of these three Princes occupied a high position at Court. He was the youngest, and the others placed him at the head of the conspiracy. He was of an age at which ignorance of the risk he ran, might lead him into crime without his perceiving the fatal results. He followed the counsels of a bold Malay who had nothing to lose and who was ready for any desperate deed. It was necessary to enlist the sympathy of heaven for their cause so as to inspire their followers with that fanatical enthusiasm which regards the present life as a mere prelude to eternal felicity.
They received great assistance from the impostures of a Mahomedan priest who informed the Malay and Macassar encampments that a sign of evil omen had appeared in the sky and that their nation was threatened by a grave disaster. For the space of three months he published these dreadful tales. Fanatical madness is contagious, and an imposter who misuses the name of the Deity can soon reckon on a numerous following.
With the exception of three hundred Malays, everyone eagerly drank in his words. When the plot was ripe, the three ringleaders sought means to win over these three hundred to their side, as the success of the plot largely depended on their co-operation. They decided that on the appointed day, they would summon them to their meeting and that they, seeing their compatriots armed for the common cause, would no longer hesitate to throw in their lot with them. It was resolved to break open the prisons and to liberate the captives to augment their forces. As their financial resources were limited, they signified their intention of looting the palace and the treasury in the hope of encouraging the bravery of their fellow-conspirators by the prospect of a rich booty.
On the appointed day, before striking the first blow, the two Princes wrote to their brother, who was holding office in Louvo, to advise him to put as great a distance as he could between himself and the Court. He received the letter at nightfall and the messenger disappeared without waiting for an answer. The hasty departure of the messenger aroused the prince's suspicions and guessing that the letter contained some important secret information, gave it unopened to Faulcon, who alarmed at the news of the rising, hurried off to inform the King. Three thousand men were sent to defend the palace. The guards stationed near Louvo prevented the outbreak of the revolt by their vigilance. Forbin was sent to Bangkok to attend to the defence of that important port.
The conspirators ignorant of the discovery of their plot, assembled to carry out their designs. When the three hundred Malays, whom the conspirators had been endeavouring to win over, had discovered the nature of the plot, they became highly indignant and protested that far from wishing to betray the King their benefactor, they were ready to shed their blood in his defence.
Their fidelity brought back many to a proper sense of their position. The Mahomedan priest trembled for his life and saw no better way out of his difficult position than by revealing the secrets of those whom he had deceived. The princes no longer doubted that they were discovered, especially when they learnt that the palace was defended by three thousand men and that armed guards were keeping watch on the ramparts.
They returned home without striking a blow. The King, although he could have punished them very severely, showed his clemency and pardoned them.
The Malay leader, who had been the arch-plotter deserted the camp of the Princes whom he had so seriously compromised. He divulged all the secrets and sources of the plot and avowed that he had only served with the Princes in order to be able to disclose the matter to the King.