Flashmans Lady by George Macdonald Fraser

Author:George Macdonald Fraser [Fraser, George Macdonald]
Language: deu
Format: epub
ISBN: 9783863461119
Google: BIXk3x62Ha8C
Publisher: Kuebler Verlag GmbH
Published: 2012-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

"You coming Madagascar, you knowing someone here, right enough?"

I assured him he was wrong, and he stuck out a fat finger and says: "M'sieur Laborde."

"Who's he?" says I, playing innocent, and he grinned and cries:

"M'sieur Laborde talking you in slave place, hitting you punch in face, but then coming you cheep-cheep quiet, with dollars for give Queen, razor for shaving, how peculiaring, ain't it?" He giggled and waved a hand. "But not mattering, since you being old boy, Laborde old boy and European chum, my stars, much shake hand hollo old fellow. I understanding, being old boy also, Highgate like. And not mattering, since Queen, may she live thousand year, liking you so much. Good gracious times much! Jig-a jig jig and jolly muttons!" cries this jackanapes, making obscene gestures. "Much pleasure, hurrah. Maybe you slave five, six year, pleasing Queen"— his eyes rounded eagerly —"perhaps giving boy child with rogerings, what? Anyway, five year, you not being lost, no more, being free, marrying any fine lady, being great person like me, or someone else. All from Queen liking." He beamed happily; he had my future nicely in hand, it seemed.

"But you slave now - lost!" he added sternly. "Must working hard, not only jig-a-jig. Soldier working, much needed, keeping army best in world, spit and polish, damne, no mistake. You liking that, staying Madagascar, making fine colonel, maybe sergeant-major, shouting soldiers, left-right-left, pick 'em up, farting about like Horse Guards, quick march, just fine style. I being Highgate, long time, seeing guns Hyde Park, when little boy, at school." The smile faded from his face, and he looked crestfallen. "Little black boy, seeing soldiers, big guns, horses, tantara and galloping." He sniffed and knuckled his eye. "In London. Still raining, not half? Much tuck-shop, footballing, jolly times." He sighed. "I speaking Queen, making you great soldier, knowing latest dodges, keeping army smart like Hector and Lysander, bang-up tip-top, hey? Yes, l speaking Queen."

You may say that was how I joined the Malagassy army, and if Mr Fankanonikaka was a dooced odd recruiting agent he was also an uncommon efficient one. Before night fell I was on the ration strength, with the unique rank of sergeant-general, which I suspect was Fankanonikaka's own invention, and not inappropriate as it turned out. They quartered me in two rooms at the back of the main palace, with an orderly who spoke a little French (and spied on me night and day), and there I sat down and wept, with my head spinning, trying to figure out what to do next.

What, for that matter, could I do, in this nest of intrigue and terror, where my life depended on the whim of a diabolical despot who was undoubtedly mad, fickle, dangerous, and fiendishly cruel? (Not unlike my first governess, in a way, except that their notions of bath-time for little Harry were somewhat different.) I could only wait, helpless, for Laborde, and pray that he might have some news of Elspeth, and bring me

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