Believe me, chief, you have been terribly misled.
You have been told that it needed but an effort to overthrow the
British Raj. Those who told you so lied. It might have seemed easy
to destroy the handful of Europeans scattered throughout India,
but you have not succeeded in doing it. Even had you done so, you
would not have so much as begun the work. There are but few white
soldiers here. Why? Because England trusted in the fidelity of her
native troops, and thought it necessary to keep only a handful of
soldiers in India, but if need be, for every soldier now here she
could send a hundred, and she will send a hundred if required to
reconquer India. Already you may be sure that ships are on the sea
laden with troops; and if you find it so hard to overcome the few
soldiers now here, what would you do against the great armies that
will pour in ere long? Why, all the efforts of the Sepoys gathered
at Delhi are insufficient to defeat the four or five thousand
British troops who hold their posts outside the town, waiting only
till the succor arrives from England to take a terrible vengeance.
Woe be then to those who have taken part against us; still more to
those whose hands are stained with British blood."
"It is too late now," the native said gloomily, "the die is cast;
but since I have seen how a score of men could defend that shattered
house against thousands, do you think I have not seen that I have
been wrong? Who would have thought that men could do such a thing?
But it is too late now.
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