The bloomin'
Maharajer 'ull think we've got a funk on.'
But neither Colonel Starr nor Thomas Jones was acquainted with the
reason of the remarkable attitude of Lalpore.
A week before, when the news reached him that the Viceroy was
sending three hundred men and two guns to remonstrate with him for
his treatment of Dr. Roberts, the Maharajah smiled, thinking of the
bravery of his Chitans, the strength of his fortifications, the
depth of his walls, and the wheat stored in his city granaries.
No one had ever taken Lalpore since the Chitans took it--in all
Rajputana there were none so cunning and so brave as the Chitans.
As to bravery, greater than Rajput bravery simply did not exist.
The Maharajah held a council, and they all sported with the idea of
English soldiers coming to Lalpore. Maun Rao begged to go out and
meet them to avenge the insult.
'Maharajah,' said he, 'the Chitans are sufficient against the
world; why should we speak of three hundred monkeys' grandsons? If
the sky fell, our heads would be pillars to protect you!'
And after a long discussion the Maharajah agreed to Maun Rao's
proposal. The English could come only one way. A day's march from
Lalpore they would be compelled to ford a stream. There the
Maharajah's army would meet them, ready, as Maun Rao said in the
council, to play at ball with their outcast heads.
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