Things are
quieter tonight than they have been for some time past, and I trust
he will get some sleep."
So saying, he quietly left the room.
"I don't believe he has slept two hours at a time since the siege
began," Mrs. Doolan said, with tears in her eyes. "We have all
suffered--God only knows what we have suffered!--but I am sure
that he has suffered more than any of us. As for you men, you may
well say you are sorry and ashamed of your treatment of him. Coward,
indeed! Mr. Bathurst may be nervous, but I am sure he has as much
courage as anyone here. Come, Isobel, you were up all last night,
and it's past two o'clock now. We must try to get a little sleep
before morning, and I should advise everyone else off duty to do
the same."
At daybreak firing commenced, and was kept up energetically all the
morning. At two o'clock a white flag was hoisted from the terrace,
and its appearance was greeted with shouts of triumph by the
assailants. The firing at once ceased, and in a few minutes a native
officer carrying a white flag advanced towards the walls.
"We wish to see the Zemindar Por Sing," Bathurst said, "to treat
with him upon the subject of our surrender."
The officer withdrew, and returned in half an hour saying that he
would conduct the officer in command to the presence of the chief
of the besieging force. Captain Doolan, therefore, accompanied by
Bathurst and Dr. Wade, went out. They were conducted to the great
tent where all the Zemindars and the principal officers of the
Sepoys were assembled.
Pages:
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401