१८५७ का स्वातन्त्र्य समर (वीर विनायक दामोदर सावरकर - अंग्रेजों द्वारा छपने से पूर्व प्रतिबन्धित महाग्रन्थ)

DELHI
leadership, in a moment, we will either drown all these
Feringhi demons in the oceans or give them as food to
the vultures ! ” ³ The Emperor grew spirited after hearing
this unanimous and exciting eloquence on the part of the
leaders, both Hindu and Mahomedan. The memories of
Shah Jahan and Akbar rose before his mind's eye, and a
divine inspiration inflamed into his heart, that, rather than
continue in slavery, it would be preferable even to die,
in the attempt of liberating one's country. The Emperor
said to the Sepoys, “ I have no treasury and you will get
no pay ! ” The Sepoys replied, “ We will loot the English
treasuries all over India and lay them at your feet ! ” ⁴
When the Emperor, at last, declared that he would accept
the leadership of the Revolution, there was a thundering
roar of applause in the vast multitude assembled
in the palace !
While all this was going on in the palace, in the city
outside there was terrible confusion. Hundreds of the
citizens of Delhi took up any arms they could get hold
of, and joined the Revolutionaries and were roaming about
to kill any stray Englishmen in the streets. About twelve
o'clock, the bank of Delhi was besieged. The family of
Beresford, the manager of the bank, was killed, and the
whole bank was demolished. The mob then turned to the
printing office of the ‘ Delhi Gazette.’ The compositors
were busy setting into type the news from Meerut. Sud-
denly, there was a roar of “ Din ! Din ! ! ” outside, and
in a moment, all the Christians in the building were des-
patched. The types were thrown away, the machinery
was smashed, and everything that was made impure by
the touch of the Englishmen was destroyed. The great
wave of Revolution then rushed on ! But see the yonder
church ! Is it fair that it should hold its head high in
the march of this Revolutionary War ? From this very
3. Charles Ball's Indian Mutiny, Vol. I, page 74.
4. Metcalfe.
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