Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/147

 (6) Mr. Tilak had fraudulently used as genuine the adoption deed containing his interpolation over Tai Maharaj's signature.

(7) Mr. Tilak had given false evidence intentionally.

Regarding none of these irrelevant charges had Mr. Tilak put in even a scrap of paper as evidence. Still the learned Judge committed Mr. Tilak to the City Magistrate.

"The Commitment was made on the 4th of April 1902 which may be taken, as perhaps, the darkest day, that ever dawned upon Mr. Tilak. Just conceive a man of Mr. Tilak's position standing before the world which already contained a large number of prejudiced critics, a fair number of active and bitter opponents,—conceive a man in this condition, judicially denounced, as an obstinate, high-handed unchivalrous and unscrupulous character, whose hand did not stop even at perjuries against a young, weak, and defenceless girl in a high family! Here was a man who had been already convicted for sedition, an offence of a purely public character. But now was his turn come, for the bottom becoming knocked out of him and for his being exposed to the world as a character as unworthy in private as it had been proved to be in public life. The world wondered and stared and then blinked and stood aghast. To a man of Mr. Tilak's education and position, the hour must have indeed proved the darkest! But the lamp of faith was burning bright within him and those alone, who knew the kind of faith he had in him, could discern the distant silver lining with which even the heavy and the black clouds ranging over his head were relieved "