Englishmen have come, perhaps from Ambat’s[1] factory.” Ramcharan used to pronounce Amyatt, as Ambat.
“What is the fear?"
“There are eight men.”
“If I am to hide myself, what will become of the women who are in the house? Go, fetch my gun.”
If Ramcharan had known the English well, he would not have advised Protap to hide himself. By the time the above conversation had been going on, the house was suddenly filled with light. Johnson gave a burning candle into the hand of a sepoy. In the light of the candle the Englishmen saw two men standing on the steps.
“What, are these the men?” asked Johnson of Bakaullah.
Bakaullah could not exactly make out. He had seen Protap and Ramcharan in a dark night, consequently he could not clearly recognize. But the pain of his broken arm had become insufferable; some one must pay for it and he said, “Yes, they are the men,” without any further hesitation.
Then like a tiger the Englishmen bounced up the stairs. When Ramcharan found that the sepoys were following, he flew headlong up the steps to fetch Protap’s gun.
Johnson saw it, aimed his pistol, and fired. Shot in the leg, Ramcharan lost his locomotion, and he plumped down on the ground.
Protap was unarmed but loath to run away; moreover he saw what happened to Ramcharan in the attempt.
“Who are you?” quietly asked Protap, “What brings you here?”
- ↑ It is a Bengali word which means nettlerash
