Page:Anandamath, The Abbey of Bliss - Chatterjee.djvu/176

150 " There are ten thousand Children present today, and you are their general for the day. See what you can do with them." Jivananda got himself fully armed and jumped on his horse. Only once he cast a glance on Nabinananda Goswami, and by it signified something to him which none could understand. Nor could any body know what Nabinananda answered with a glance ; only they knew between themselves that very likely that was their last meeting this side of the grave. Then Nabinananda raised his right hand and said : "Brothers, sing now the glory of the Lord." Then the ten thousand Children, with thousands of arms uplifted, sang with one voice, resounding the woods and the sky and drowning the roar of can- nons : — " To lay the Mleccha low With sword relentless " — At this time the shower of the English balls be^an to fall on the woods and among the Children's force. Some fell singing, with their head or hand or heart pierced, but no one stopped singing. When the song was finished every one was still. The dense forest, the sand bed of the river, and that in- finite loneliness, — all was plunged into deep silence. Only the dreadful roar of cannons, the murmur of the distant soldiers' voices, the rustle of their arms and their heavy tread occasionally disturbed the silence. Then Satyananda shouted forth : " Han, the Lord of Universe, will help you — how far are the guns ? "