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

TEMPORARY PACIFICATION
time, too ! At midnight, on the third day, Tatia was
asleep in the place pointed out by the guide as the safest.
Man came near the place and muttered an order to the
Sepoys to rush forth. The Mahratta tiger was sound
asleep in that jungle—the ‘Bemân Man’ let loose on him
his hounds ; Tatia just opened his eyes a little, and at
once found himself a prisoner of the English !
On the 7th of April, 1859, at midnight, Tatia fell into this
prison of treachery, and on the next day in the early
morning, he was taken to the camp of General Meade at
Sipri. Immediately, a court-martial sat and Tatia was
charged with waging war against the British Power. On
Wednesday, Tatia wrote down his statement in reply.
“Whatever I did, I did according to the orders of my
master. Until Kalpi, I was under the orders of Nana
Sahib, after Kalpi I was under Rao Sahib. Except
in just battle, in warfare, neither I nor Nana have ever
killed in cold blood or hanged any European, man, wo-
man, or child. I do not want to take part in this trial
any more.” At the special request of the English, Tatia
dictated his reliable, short, and important diary from
the beginning to the end of the Revolution. The Munshi
wrote it down and it was read out to him. Afterwards,
he signed the diary as well as the statement given above
in good English letters, “Tatia Topé.” To all questions
asked to him, he replied in Hindusthani, in the sense of
the diary and the statement. His replies were straight,
short, and spirited. If anyone asked him question in
English, he would reply coolly in Hindusthani, “Malum
nahin,” (I don’t understand). When minor English
officers were walking about insolently near him, there
was a look of indifference and disdain on his face. The
inquiry lasted through Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Crowds of Indians used to come up to see him, but per-
mission was often refused them. Those who were admit-
ted bowed to him with reverence and affection. When
the English informed him that his trial was to take place
538