Page:The Great Trial of Mahatma Gandhi.pdf/17



It was getting on to 12 noon. Everybody was anxiously waiting for Mahatmaji. Once or twice the audience stood up thinking that he was coming but they were deceived. It was 5 minutes to 12 when there was a stir in the hall. The great man had come. The whole audience stood up as one man to do reverence to the great leader and patriot. Mahatmaji in his loin cloth and with his smiling face entered the ball followed by Sjt. Banker and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya. A military officer who escorted Mahatmaji took him to his seat. All remained standing until Mahatmaji sat down. Нө put on his spectacles and was busy with some papers which he had in his hand. Hardly a minute passed before the Advocate-General entered the hall exchanged nods with Mahatmaji and took his seat in front of the Dais. Now everything was ready and everybody was waiting for the Judge. Precisely at 12-5 Mr. Broomfield, District and Sessions Judge of Abmedabad, took his seat on the Bench and the historic trial commenced.

The charges against them and the three articles of Young India which formed the