untry without molestation. It is to you, Por
Sing, and you nobles of Oude, that we surrender, and not to those who,
being sworn soldiers, have mutinied against their officers, and have in
many cases treacherously murdered them. With such men Major Hannay will
have no dealings, and it is to you that we surrender. Major Hannay bids
me say that if this offer is refused, we can for a long time prolong our
resistance. We are amply supplied with provisions and munitions of war,
and many as are the numbers of our assailants who have fallen already,
yet more will die before you obtain possession of the house. More than
that, in no case will we be taken prisoners, for one and all have firmly
resolved to fire the magazine when resistance is no longer possible, and
to bury ourselves and our assailants in the ruins."

When Bathurst ceased, a hubbub of voices arose, the Sepoy officers
protesting that the surrender should be made to them. It was some
minutes before anything like quietness was restored, and then one of the
officers said, "Here is Rujub; he speaks in the name of Nana. What does
he say to this?"

Rujub, who was handsomely attired, stepped forward.

"I have no orders from his highness on this subject," he said. "He
certainly said that the prisoners were to be sent to him, but at present
there are no prisoners, nor, if the siege continues, and the English
carry out their threat, will there be any prisoners. I cannot think that
Nana Sahib would wish to see some hundreds more of his countrymen
slain or blown up, only that he may have these few men and women in his
power."

"We have come here to take them and kill them," one of the officers said
defiantly; "and we will do so."

Por Sing, who had been speaking with the Talookdars round him, rose from
his seat.

"It seems to me that it is for us to decide this matter," he said. "It
is upon us that the losses of this siege have fallen. At the order of
Nana Sahib we collected our retainers, abandoned our homes, and have for
three weeks supported the dangers of this siege. We follow the Nana, but
we are not his vassals, nor do we even know what his wishes are in
this matter, but it seems to us that we have done enough and more than
enough. Numbers of our retainers and kinsmen have fallen, and to prolong
the siege would cause greater loss, and what should we gain by it? The
possession of a heap of stones. Therefore, we are all of opinion that
this offer of surrender should