1 152 SECRET HISTORY OF THE LAHORE DURBAR.
2 down curses on the whole race of Seiks. On this one of the
3 savages made a blow at her with the butt of his musket ; —
4 he missed her, however, and she fell, a prey to the flames alone,
5 into the midst of the raging' fire.
6 The troops having effected their purpose of avenging the
7 death of Peshora Sing and removing the obnoxious Wuzeer,
8 became all submission and repentance before the Ranee, whose
9 grief and anger they endeavoured by all means in their power
10 to appease. But she was yet implacable and inconsolable.
11 Daily, attended by numbers of her women, she went on foot
12 to renew her lamentations at the mausoleum of her murdered
13 brother. Daily she thus walked through the city, exposing
14 herself to the view of the multitude with her long hair all
15 dishevelled, as she repaired to the tomb of Jewahir Sing outside
16 the Mustee gate. As yet she would not listen to the entrea-
17 ties or overtures of the troops who sought to make their peace
18 with her, and who were now engaged in mutual recrimina-
19 tions against each other for the commission of the bloody deed.
20 Some avowed their determination to inflict punishment on
21 the corps that were accessories to the murder ; while those
22 to whose charge the act was laid, maintained that the whole
23 Khalsa was concerned in the deed, pointing for proof of this
24 to the fact, that every corps was in line on the occasion, with
25 a full knowledge of the purpose for which the line was formed.
26 However, after a few days of obduracy, the Ranee relented
27 so far as to say that if the troops would punish those sirdars
28 who planned and counselled the murder of her brother, she
29 would be satisfied. She summoned the Punches and officers
30 of the army to meet her in the Summun Boorj, and presenting
31 herself before the assembly, she vehemently upbraided them
32 for their treachery and cruelty. " But," said she, in con-
33 clusion of her fierce harangue, " seize my enemies and deliver
34 them over to my will, and I will freely pardon the rest." On
35 this some of the Punches asked her to name those to