भारतीय इतिहास के ६ स्वर्णिम पृष्ठ (वीर सावरकर - विदेशी आक्रान्ताओं पर विजय गाथा)

few hours in the wines of romantic joy. We forgot for a while, the bitterness and the deep pangs of the afflicted and tortured past and lightly gossiped as boys fresh from schools meeting back after a long holiday. He took my leave. I watched him disappear and said to my mind, now can call him again, any time I like. Little I knew that it was then that he was to disappear beyond all human recall. When human wisdom shook its head and snorted out ‘impossible’, events proved it possible and when it gaily assured itself ‘at any time,’ Destiny put in a stern never; thus oft, fate seems to act with no nobler intention but to mock and humiliate human calculations! With Aiyer, the politician, we cannot concern ourselves here. It is the loss of Aiyer, the scholar, the friend, the noblest type of a Hindu gentleman, the author of Kural, the saintly soul, whose life has been one continuous sacrifice and worship that we so bitterly bewail to-day and bitterly chafe at our inability to pay a public tribute to his memory in a fashion worthy of the noble Dead. Oh, the times on which our generation has fallen! The noblest sink down and are washed off to the shores of Death, while the unworthy keep gaily swimming on the tides of Life. But thou hast done thy duty. Friend! It was for Human Love that thou livedst and thou diedst too for Human Love, even as a martyr unto her. Thou knewst no peace in life, oh, soldier of God. But Peace be with Thee in Death. Oh friend! Peace be with thee and divine rest!’ —(Mahratta 28-6-1925) $\square$