1 110 SECRET HISTORY OF THE LAHORE DURBAR.
2 by keeping him among them, actually ordered him away in the
3 middle of the night. Ashamed of himself for having thus
4 been duped, and exasperated against those who had betrayed
5 him, Suchet Sing determined to brave the worst that could
6 befall him. For the remainder of that night he remained
7 in an old mosque, where he rested, surrounded by his followers,
8 now about two hundred horse and one hundred and fifty foot.
9 Meantime the minister, having in the evening heard of his
10 arrival, sent several messages to him, bidding him retrace his
11 steps to the hills, and conveying various fierce threats of
12 rough treatment in case of his non-compliance. But this
13 was just the way to induce a man like Suchet Sing to determine
14 on standing his ground to the last, and it had that effect on him.
15 He scorned the thought of humbling himself in any manner,
16 and as he knew his case was now hopeless, he resolved to
17 die where he was, with the few followers who still remained
18 faithful to him, all but about forty-five of his own chosen men,
19 having deserted him during the night.
20 Rajah Heera Sing had made every preparation for the attack,
21 and daylight found the devoted little band surrounded by
22 fourteen or fifteen thousand infantry, three or four thousand
23 horse, and fifty-six pieces of artillery, heavy and light ! Such a
24 force did Heera Sing deem necessary to ensure the destruction
25 of his brave uncle and the knot of resolute spirits that clung
26 to him to the last. While this overwhelming force was mak-
27 ing its preparations for the assault, Suchet Sing and his
28 followers remained composedly in the mosque, hearing some
29 passages of their holy book read to them. They were thus
30 engaged when a tremendous cannonade was opened on the
31 building. Still amidst the continuous roar of the artillery
32 the reader went on, and still his brave audience strove to catch
33 the sacred words. But soon the walls of the mosque were
34 beaten down by the fire, and no longer afforded protection to
35 those within. And now the reader closed his book, and Suchet