At night, Garden Sahib came to meet Her Highness Lakshmibai. He was taken to her chamber. The Lady offered him a chair to sit.
Garden Sahib said to her: I do not care what happens to us, but you must protect our women. My wife is a delicate lady; matchless in beauty and wit among the European women in this country. And, she is seven months pregnant. So please keep her at your house. She would wash pots, grind grain, whatever, but do save her life. I say nothing further.
Lakshmibai said: I would protect her as best as I can, worry not. Saying that, she left. Garden Sahib left the palace.
The next morning, English women in the city came to the palace, with the children. Lakshmibai put them up in a vacant quarters, under guard.
The native soldiers became restless around ten and started firing in air. The Jhansi cantonment was small, there were (relatively) fewer Englishmen. Natives killed all of them. They also seized the treasury and the ammunition. The buildings of cantonment were set on fire.
The soldiers then rushed to the palace, and called out to Lakshmibai. The Lady came out and met the native officers. She assured them that they were safe. The officers said to her: You are our mistress (from now on), we would obey your orders. Treasury has twenty-five thousand rupees, and we are battle-ready.
Lakshmibai had it announced across the town that she was now the ruler. Foundries were started to make new guns, a factory to make gunpowder too was set up. After doing all this, the Lady moved into the Fort on an auspicious day
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