es of war should propose such a thing as
laying down their arms, as Sir John must know, that a rajah-poot would
sooner suffer ten thousand deaths than be deprived of his arms. He
concluded by protesting that for him to attempt to enforce such a thing
would be endangering his own life. Sir John replied that he did well
know the customs of the country and the characters of rajah-poot
soldiers; but the keeledar must keep in view that these were terms
offered to rebels, whose heads were the just forfeit of their
disobedience and rebellion, and that, therefore, if they persisted in
their rebellion, he should not advise the government to mitigate the
penalty a single jot, but to hang every one of them. This was pronounced
with some degree of displeasure, and the man of fat, not doubting in the
least that of course he was included in the number to be hanged, began
to quake for fear. He turned round and reflected for some time, his eye
fixed on the dark and displeased countenance of Sir John Malcolm. At
last he repeated that he dared not propose such terms to the garrison.
"But," added he with the greatest effrontery and impudence, his villany
suddenly bursting forth, while he at the same time "grinned horribly a
ghastly smile," "could you not _promise_ them their arms and property,
and, when they are fairly out, pounce upon them and take them from
them?"

General Doveton, Sir John Malcolm, and half-a-dozen brigadiers, at this
diabolical proposition rose simultaneously, and I really thought Sir
John would have jumped down the rascal's throat, or have cut him to
pieces on the spot, as he warmly replied, "Rebel! what grounds have you
for supposing that the English could ever stoop to commit such an act of
infamy? Can you, or any native of India, adduce a single instance of our
government's having ever acted so treacherous and cowardly a part? No,
miscreant; were your fort ten thousand times as strong, and ten thousand
times as high as it is, we will either take it or level it with the
plain. I cannot imagine how you have dared to make such an offer before
these gentlemen. It would serve you right to cleave you to the ground
for such an insult, and we can only treat such a proposition as arising
from the baseness of your own heart. I desire that you will this moment
return to your fort, and dare not again to insult this assembly with
your vile propositions. Go and fight your fort, and we will soon force
you to do what we now in pi