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

MOULVIE AHMAD SHAH
After his re-entry into Oudh, while trying to offer as
much and as dogged a resistance to the foreigner as he
could, the Moulvie thought it would be a great help to
the new storm that he was preparing to raise in Oudh
if the Raja of Powen would lend the little might he posses-
sed to drive out the alien from the land. With this
purpose, he sent a request sealed with the Royal seal of
the Begum to this Raja at Powen. This tiny Raja was
quite shocked at the mere mention of war and battlefield.
Yet, as treacherous as he was cowardly, he wrote back
that he would like to see the Moulvie personally. In
answer to this invitation, the Moulvie started to see this
Raja. But, to the Moulvie's great surprise, he found the
gates of the town closed and the walls of it guarded by
armed men ; and in the midst of them, he found standing
the Raja Jagannath Singh himself, with his brother by
his side. Though the Moulvie knew the meaning of this
sight, still undaunted, he began to hold a parley with the
Raja. The wretch on the walls of the town was naturally
the last man to appreciate his eloquence. When it became
clear that the crowd was not going to open the gates
willingly, the Moulvie ordered his Mahut to goad on the
elephant on which he was sitting to break open the gates
of the fort. One stroke more of the mighty animal's head
—and the gates would have been forced. But, the brother
of the Raja took aim and Moulvie Ahmad Shah was shot
dead by the hand of that wretched coward ! The fat Raja
and his brother at once came out of the gate, severed the
head of the Moulvie from his body and, covering it up
in a cloth, ran forth to the nearest British Thana, thirteen
miles from the place,—to the city of Shahjahanpur. Here,
the British officers were at their table in the dining-room.
The Raja came in, unpacked the burden which he had
held forth as a trophy, and let roll on the ground, by the
feet of the officers, the head of the Moulvie still gushing
with blood ! Next day, the civilised Britishers hung on
the kotawali the head of an enemy who had fought against
them so bravely and so honourably, and the fat brute of
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