His surmise was more than justified by events.  While his Indian contingent pushed on to occupy Zagazig, Sir Drury Lowe, with a force mustering fewer than 500 sabres, pressed towards Cairo by a desert road in order to summon it on the morrow.  After halting at Belbeis the troopers gave rein to their steeds; and a ride of nearly 40 miles brought them to the city about sundown.  Rumour magnified their numbers; while the fatalism that used to nerve the Moslem in his great days now predisposed him to bow the knee and mutter Kismet at the advent of the seemingly predestined masters of Egypt.  To this small, wearied, but lordly band Cairo surrendered, and Arabi himself handed over his sword.  On the following day the infantry came up and made good this precarious conquest.

In presence of this startling triumph the Press of the Continent sought to find grounds for the belief that Arabi, and Cairo as well, had been secretly bought over by British gold.  It is somewhat surprising to find M. de Freycinet[372] repeating to-day this piece of spiteful silliness, which might with as much reason be used to explain away the victories of Clive and Coote, Outram and Havelock.  The slanders of continental writers themselves stand in need of explanation.  It is to be found in their annoyance at discovering that England had an army which could carry through a difficult campaign to a speedy and triumphant conclusion.  Their typical attitude had been that of Bismarck, namely, of exultation at her difficulties and of hope of her discomfiture.  Now their tone changed to one of righteous indignation at the irregularity of her conduct in acting on behalf of Europe without any mandate from the Powers, and in using the Suez Canal as a base of operations.

[Footnote 372:  Op. cit. p. 316.]

In this latter respect Britain’s conduct was certainly open to criticism[373].  On the other hand, it is doubtful whether Arabi would have provoked her to action had he not been tacitly encouraged by the other Powers, which, while professing their wish to see order restored in Egypt, in most cases secretly sought to increase her difficulties in undertaking that task.  As for the Sultan, he had now trimmed his sails by declaring Arabi a rebel to the Khedive’s authority; and in due course that officer was tried, found guilty, and exiled to Ceylon early in 1883.  The conduct of France, Germany, and Russia, if we may judge by the tone of their officially inspired Press, was scarcely more straightforward, and was certainly less discreet.  On all sides there were diatribes against Britain’s high-handed and lawless behaviour, and some German papers affected to believe that Hamburg might next be chosen for bombardment by the British fleet.  These outbursts, in the case of Germany, may have been due to Bismarck’s desire to please Russia, and secondarily France, in all possible ways.  It is doubtful whether he gained this end.  Certainly he and his underlings in the Press widened the gulf that now separated the two great Teutonic peoples.