Page:Anandamath, The Abbey of Bliss - Chatterjee.djvu/207

Rh there. So he thought it expedient to take possession of that place. By means of spies he obtained information as to how many soldiers there were in Padachinha. The information he received did not encourage him to make an attack on the fort. He then developed a clever device in his mind. The full-moon day of Magh was nigh. On that day there would be held a big fair on the river bank not far from his camp. This year the fair was going to be held in great pomp. Usually at least a hundred thousand men assembled in the fair. This year the Vaishnavas had become the rulers of the land, and they had resolved to make a great show in the fair. The probabilities were that all the Children would assemble in the fair on the full-moon day. Major Edwards thought that the defenders of Padachinha too would all come to the fair which would give him an opportunity to surprise and occupy the fort. With this object in view, he announced that he would make an attack on the fair and root out the Children* s community on a single day when they would come together at one place. He would destroy the fire of the Vaishnavas. The news spread from village to village and whoever belonged to the community donned his arms and flocked to the fair for its defence. The Children all assembled on the bank of the river on the full-moon day of Magh just as the Major had expected. Fortunately for