Flashman's Retreat

The post Farewell Flash Harry was, unsurprisingly, the final quote from Mr American and sees the completion of the Flashman’s Retreat com...

     ‘Well, if you don’t mind,’ said Mr Franklin, ‘I feel I ought to get out here.’ The old gentleman, he told himself yet again, was deci...

‘Not before time,’ growled Sir Harry. ‘The amount of liquor that’s occupied my bladder in ninety years has rendered it a rather perished a...

     A sudden, odd thought struck Mr Franklin, and it seemed doubly odd that it had only just occurred to him.      ‘D’you think England w...

‘. . . this’ll be the last outbreak of war I’ll see, and for once I shan’t be going. Went to South Africa, you know— just as a tourist, du...

It thundered on, the majestic, insistent roar, culminating in another ear-splitting shout at the finish, the crowd chanting out the tremen...

‘Charming meal, my dear,’ he said as the waitress presented the bill, ‘and I only regret that infirmity prevents me from inviting you out ...

‘The decline of duelling has ruined more private lives than I care to think of — in my young day nobody’d have dared tittle-tattle the way...

‘I’d also like to remind our jingo-drunk public that they haven’t the least notion what a war with modern weapons will be like and the onl...

‘I only wish,’ the General added. ‘that when it happens I could take all the asses who’ll be waving flags and cheering and crowding the r...

     ‘By that reckoning,’ said Mr Franklin, ‘no one would ever stand up to a brute or a bully.’      ‘Course they would — when it was wor...

*‘Anyway, imagine yourself a Belgian — in Liege, say. Along come the Prussians, and invade you. What about it? — a few cars commandeered, ...

The General took a pull at his wine and grimaced. ‘I wish to God someone would tell the Hungarians that their wine would be greatly improv...

     Mr Franklin replied non-committally, and asked the General what he thought of the war situation. The old man shrugged.      ‘Contemp...

‘ . . . that’s your own Congressional medal down there, among all the foreign stuff. Ten bucks a year I still get for that — Sam Grant m...

‘Sporting my tin, as you see,’ he drawled hoarsely. ‘In the public interest. At a time like this it gives the mob confidence to be reminde...

. . . after all, the old man was in his nineties, and it must be a great ordeal to have to make his way, even being driven, through all th...

. . . he found his host ensconced in a corner, looking like a lecherous Old Testament prophet in evening dress and decorations, drinking b...

Of course, this was supposedly in the national character; it was proverbial that the Englishman displayed emotion only when faced by some ...

‘Well good-night to you, young Franklin. Yes give me a call one of these days. Perhaps you can tell me a few tales, instead. You’re an int...

     ‘I should have thought you overheard, while you were asleep,’ said Mr Franklin caustically, ‘that Miss Delys is only a friend, that I...

     ‘One thing becomes clear,’ said Mr Franklin grimly, ‘and that is that every word she said about you is true.’      ‘What, about bein...

     ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, General’      ‘My God, you’re dense. And from Nebraska, too. She’s my great-niece, ain’t sh...

     ‘Although he is quite a dreadful person, really. He is absolutely selfish and dishonest and quite shameless. He has a shocking reputa...

     ‘He is over ninety, you know,’ said Lady Helen, and Mr Franklin said, yes he knew.      ‘One forgets, sometimes,’ said Lady Helen. ‘...

. . . at that moment an audible snore erupted from the General’s corner of the cab. He was leaning back, his great head sunk forward on hi...

     ‘Are you saying,’ said Mr Franklin grimly, ‘the trial was rigged?’      ‘You’re a bigger ass than I thought you were, if you believe...

‘. . . I won’t have you ruin your life for some half-baked crank notion that thinks the way to get votes for women is to bomb railway trai...

     ‘And you expect me to be grateful! I feel shame — nothing but shame!      ‘Very good,’ said Sir Harry equably. ‘It’s a dam’ sight be...

     ‘You know what they will say? That there is one law for the rich and powerful and another for the poor and feeble! The very injustice...