…she suddenly accused a young nobleman of being a secret Christian . . . there and then he was submitted to ordeal . . . they boiled up a cauldron of water . . . he tried to snatch coins out of the bubbling pit, plucking and screaming while the rest of us tried not to be sick . . .
Not quite what we’re accustomed to at Balmoral, you’ll agree, but at least Ranavalona didn’t go in for tartan carpets.
Flashman's Lady, p.239, Pan edition, 1979.
Tags:Flashman, Flashman quotes, Balmoral.
