मेरा आजीवन कारावास / माझी जन्मठेप (स्वातंत्र्यवीर सावरकर - काले पानी का ऐतिहासिक संस्मरण)

Chief Commissioner unconcerned. He would obey none, he would bend before none, and
he would do no work, leave alone the ' Kolu.' In sheer desperation the officers felt
inclined to support Mr. Barrie and decided at last to resort to caning.
Nani Gopal was to be caned
Mr. Barrie was the first to inform me of it and confidentially. I told him frankly
that though he was speaking to me confidentially, he was speaking as an officer, that he
had given me the news intentionally that I may pass it on to my friends. I had, however,
to warn him that if he ever used the cane on Nani Gopal its effect on all of us would be
tremendous, and the consequences to him and to the prison would be terrible. All the
political prisoners would be roused as they were never before roused in that jail. He had
to recall, I told him, how dangerous these men were and what horror and violence
capable of, once they were inflamed in mind. Their past deeds were witnesses to this fact
and he had to think a hundred times before he caned Nani Gopal. I knew, I further told
him, that his might was supreme to theirs and they would be crushed. But they will not
fail to do, and will not shrink from doing, all they can. For the present they only protest
and offer civil resistance. But if he resorted to inhuman punishment like caning, they will
unfailingly resort to violence and then anything might happen.
They will shed blood and not refrain
"I do not say", I asked Mr. Barrie to note, "what should happen, but what cannot
but happen." Mr. Barrie pretended to smile, but really he was startled. The punishment
was announced, the frame was set up, we were all locked up in our rooms, every
precaution was taken to prevent a riot and revolt. We were all ears to hear the piercing
cry go forth from the mouth of Nani Gopal with the spirt of blood from his lacerated
body. A warder came and informed us that Nani had been removed from that prison. He
went away and presently an overseer came up to volunteer the information that the victim
was thrashed within an inch of his life, and in indecent language he added, "Nani's had
been rent into twain.' I answered him calmly, "Nani has not suffered in the least, and I
may tell you that if any one has come worse off in this business, it is not he. For I know
that he has been transferred from this place elsewhere." The overseer was simply
astonished and went back without making any reply. The petty officer soon learnt the
mischief that the overseer was spreading. He issued orders to apprehend the man and
went away in anger.
The news was correct, the sentence was pronounced, but no one was prepared to
execute it. They telephoned to the Chief Commissioner, but he hesitated to give the final
order. At last Nani was taken down from the frame, the order was cancelled, and he was
removed from the jail to be confined in a district prison for a few days. The Chief
Commissioner carried out all this on the telephone, and the danger was avoided. That