Leaving India

“…I’d not say that till I was riding the gridiron again.”*


*Aboard an East Indiaman. The reference is to the Company’s flag.


Flashman and the Mountain of Light, p.159, Fontana Paperback edition, 1991.



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Suppressing wickedness

      ‘Oh, aye – we hear much of them, and how the company suppressed their wickedness. And why – because they slew travellers, or was it because they served a Hindoo god and so offended the Christian Company?’ She eyed me contemptuously. ‘Belike had the Thugs been Jesus-worshippers, they would have been roaming yet – especially if they had chosen Hindoo victims.’
      You can’t argue with gross prejudice, so I looked amiable…

Flashman in the Great Game, p.91, Pan edition, 4th printing, 1979.

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Flashman, Flashman quotes,thugee, India.

A distasteful talk with Flashman

‘They [officers] don’t know their men, and treat ’em like children or animals, and think of nothing, but drinking and hunting, and – and…’ he reddened to the roots of his enormous beard and looked aside. ‘Some of them consort with… with the worst type of native women.’ He cleared his throat and patted my arm. ‘There, I’m sorry, old fellow; I know it's distasteful to talk of such things, but it’s true, alas.’
     I shook my head and said it was heart-breaking.

Flashman in the Great Game, p.64, Pan edition, 4th printing, 1979.

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Flashman, Flashman quotes,John Nicholson, East India Company.