1 THE WAZIRAT OF JAWAHIR SINGH. 537
2 by these monsters as if they had been the veriest ribaldry. Not satisfied
3 with what they had already robbed, they actually snatched from the fire
4 the trinkets and embroidery on their costly attire. The helpless victims,
5 stretching their hands towards heaven, cursed the whole Sikh nation to which
6 the savages belonged.
7 Thus was the death of Peshora Singh avenged by the Sikhs. The Rdni
8 was quite inconsolable for many weeks after the catastrophe. She renewed
9 her lamentations every day, and with her long dishevelled hair, accompanied
10 by her slave-girls, walked through the streets of Lahore, exposed to the
11 public gaze, to pay her visit to the tomb of her brother, in a garden outside
12 the Masti Gate, across the parade ground, where she gave free vent to
13 her tears.
14 The troops now sought to make their peace with the Rani. The different
15 corps recriminated one another for the murder of the wazir. Those who were
16 immediately concerned in the atrocity were declared by some to be alone desery-
17 ing of punishment, while others maintained that every corps which had been
18 present in the line had a full knowledge of the object for which they had been
19 summoned, After a few days, the Raéui convened a meeting of the punches and
20 sardars at the Summan Burj, and when all had assembled, she declared that
21 she would be satisfied if her enemies were seized and delivered up to her.
22 Jawahir Mal, formerly the dewdn of Suchet Singh, whe had been accessory
23 to the plot and who was present at the time, was accordingly seized and
24 made over to the Rdui, and, as for Pirthi Singh and others of the Dogra,
25 party who had supplied the troops with the money, it was agreed that they
26 too should be seized and delivered up to her. They were, however, allowed
27 to leave the city for the hills, with a few horsemen, at night, and the Rdni,
28 seeing that she had no alternative for the present, kept quiet. The sardar
29 most intimate with her about this time was L4l Singh, who was generally
30 understood to be her paramour, and under his advice Jawadhir Mal was, after
31 a few days, released. ;
32 The Rani now assumed charge of the administration and held daily dar-
33 bars, at: which orders were passed. She was declared regent of the State
34 after the Dasahra, and appeared frequently in public, consulting alternately
35 Dewdn Dina Nath, Bhai Ram Singh and Misser Lal Singh on State affairs.
36 But the real power rested with the panchayats, or delegates of the army,
37 who were disposed to place the wazirdt in the hands of Gulab Singh, though
38 that wily chiefdeclined to accept the perilous honour. Tej Singh, nephew
39 of Khushal Singh, who was at this time governor of Peshawar, arrived at
40 Lahore, and was offered the high office, but he, too, declined it. The Rani,
41 ever anxious to promote the interests of her paramour Lal Singh, resorted to
42 the expedient of solving the question of appointment by divination. Five
43 slips of paper were prepared, each containing the name of a candidate,
44 and the young Mahardjé was allowed to draw the lot. By some accident
45 or contrivance, the name of Lal Singh turned up ; but the soldiery refused
46 to recognise him, and the plan fell through. The Rani continued to carry
47 on the affairs of State in her own name, as regent, assisted by Lal Singh
48 as executive minister, and Teja Singh as Commander-in-Chief
49 The power of the Khdlsé army was now at its height. Every one dreaded
50 them, and the highest officers of State felt themselves in momentary danger
51 of annihilation if the cupidity of the troops, which had no bound, was not
52 satiated. The Rani saw her perilous situation. With an empty treasury
53 and the resources of the kingdom exhausted, she was left in no position
54 to feed the rapacity of the turbulent Sikh soldiers, who now openly talked
55 of proclaiming the infant son of Shér Singh, Mahardjdé of the Panjdb. To
56 The Ranf incon-
57 solable,
58 The ringleaders of
59 the late plot are
60 surrendered to her,
61 The Rint is @eclared
62 regent of the State,
63 But the deputies of
64 the army become all-
65 powerful.
66 Lal Singh and Teja
67 Singh.
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