The Flashman Papers: The Complete 12-Book Collection. George Fraser MacDonald
it carefully, now, when you’ve brushed it. There. Yes, my love?”
“Elspeth …”
“Oh, Harry, you look so strong and fierce, on my word. I don’t think I shall feel easy in my mind when I see all these fancy London ladies making eyes at you.” And she pouted very pretty and touched her finger on my lips.
“Elspeth, I –”
“Oh, I had nearly forgot – you had better take some money with you. Susan, bring me my purse. In case of any need that may arise, you know. Twenty guineas, my love.”
“Much obliged,” says I.
What the devil, you have to make do as best you can; if the tide’s there, swim with it and catch on to whatever offers. You only go by once.
“Will twenty be sufficient, do you think?”
“Better make it forty.”
(At this point the first packet of The Flashman Papers ends abruptly).
| Badmash | a scoundrel |
| Feringhee | European, possibly a corruption of “Frankish” or “English” |
| Ghazi | a fanatic |
| Havildar | sergeant |
| Hubshi | negro (literally “woolly-head”) |
| Huzoor | lord, master, in the sense of “sir” (Pushtu equivalent of “sahib”) |
| Idderao | come here (imp.) |
| Jao | go, get away (imp.) |
| Jawan | soldier |
| Jezzail | long rifle of the Afghans |
| Juldi | quickly, hurry up |
| Khabadar | be careful (imp.) |
| Maidan | plain, exercise ground |
| Munshi | teacher, usually of language |
| Puggarree | turban cloth |
| Rissaldar | native officer commanding cavalry troop |
| Sangar | small stone breastwork like grouse butt |
| Shabash | bravo |
| Sowar | trooper |
| 1. | Lord Brougham’s speech in May, 1839, “lashed the Queen … with unsparing severity” (Greville) and caused great controversy. |
| 2. | Lady Flora Hastings, Maid of Honour to the Duchess of Kent, was believed to be pregnant, until medical examination proved that she was not. She won great popular sympathy, but the young Queen, who had been bitterly hostile towards her, suffered dramatically in public esteem. |
| 3. | Captain John Reynolds, a particular butt of Cardigan’s, was the centre of the notorious Black Bottle affair, in which his resignation was demanded because he was believed to have ordered a bottle of porter in the mess on guest night. |
| 4. | Cardigan had, in fact, served in India, when he went out to take command of the 11th at Cawnpore in 1837, but had spent only a few weeks with the regiment. |
| 5. | Cardigan was a favourite target of the newspapers, and especially of the Morning Chronicle (not the Post, as Flashman says). The quarrel referred to here is probably the one in which Cardigan, in response to a press attack, threatened to assault the editor. For details of this and other incidents, and of Lord Cardigan’s military career, see Cecil Woodham-Smith’s The Reason Why. |
| 6. | Choice of weapons. In fact this did not necessarily rest with the injured party, but was normally settled by mutual agreement. |
| 7. |
Mr Attwood, M.P. presented |