Ch. Ill ]             Nana Sahib and Lakshmi Bai                       23

were happy in the enjoyment of mutual love. In the small
house of this good family, all faces beamed with joy and
happiness in 1824, for the good Gangabai had given birth to
a son. That son of Madhavarao and Gangabai was no other
than the Nana Sahib Peshwa, at the very sound of whose name
the Feringhi shudders with fear, —that same Nana who has
made his name immortal in history as a hero who fought for
liberty and for his country.

About the same time, the last Bajirao had abdicated his
throne and was leading a life of retirement on the banks of
the Ganges. Many Mahratta families had followed him and,
hearing that Bajirao was generous enough to support them in
good state on his pension, many new families also emigrated
thither. Among the latter was the family of Madhavarao, who
went to Brahmavarta in 1827 to seek the generosity of Bajirao.
There, the little son of Madhavarao captivated the heart of
Bajirao, and little Nana Sahib became a great favourite of the
whole Durbar. His spirit even in childhood, his serious mien,
and his intelligence made a deep impression upon Bajirao, who
eventually resolved to adopt hira. On the 7*^ of June, 1827^
Bajirao formally placed him on his lap and adopted him.
At this time Nana was only two-and-a-half years old. In this
manner, the child born in the village of Venu became, by a
stroke of luck, the heir presumptive to the throne of the
Peshwas !

It was no doubt a great good fortune to be made heir to
the seat of the Peshwas of the Mahratta Empire. But, 0
brilliant Prince, do you realise the great responsibility accom¬
panying this good fortune ? The throne of the Peshwas is not
an ordinary thing I It was on this that the great Baji sat and
ruled an Empire. It was for this that the battle of Paniput
was fought. On this have been poured the sacred waters of
the Sindhu for the anointing of generations of Peshwas; on
this the treaty of Wargaon had been made and, most impor¬
tant of all, on this is to come, or why, already has come, the
contaminating touch of slavery. Do you realise all this ? To
be the heir to a throne is to undertake, to guarantee, the pro¬
tection and dignity of that throne. Then will you or will you
not guard the dignity of the Peshwa throne ? Either the Gadi
should be adorned with the crown of victory, or it should be
burnt in a brilliant pyre of glory, like the proud women of
Chitore!   There   is   no   third   way   of saving the glory of the