Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/471

428 such an employment. That Vidyasagar should be compelled under critical circumstances to seek for an opportunity to re-obtain a service from which he had retired of his own will disregarding the counsels of his friends, is no strange thing. Not a few great men are known to have sought for rescue, though much against their will, under pressure of difficulties. Maharaja Pertab Sing, the greatest hero of Rajputana, when defeated by the army of Akbar, was obliged to wander from hill to hill with his family. Yet he did not submit to the Mussulman Emperor. At last, when he saw one day that his dear children were feeding upon bread of grass seeds, and even that hardly sufficed to appease their hunger, he thought of submitting to Akbar, and accordingly addressed to him a letter intimating his design. But, in fact, his after thoughts prevented him to take that disgraceful step, and he gave up his design of yielding to the Mussulman Emperor. Was there ever a greater patriot and hero than Pertab Sing? When such a great man was compelled by adverse circumstances to determine upon adopting a step so humiliating, there is nothing strange in Vidyasagar's determination to seek for re-entrance into dependent life. However, fortunately for the country, he was baffled in his attempts, for he was destined to be of greater service to his fatherland, as will appear presently.

Vidyasagar had an intimate friendship with