Jack-in-office

‘I was a deputy marshal there, in Abilene years ago, before you were born. What d’ye think of that? And it was a dam’ sight quieter,’ he went on, transferring his attention to the two talkers, ‘than some drawing rooms I could mention. Can’t even conduct a private conversation without some jack-in-office stopping your ears with drivel.’ He peered malevolently. ‘Fisher and young Churchill, eh? Oh, God help the nation.’


Mr American, pp.184-5, Pan Books, paperback edition 1982.


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Alice's tea party

. . . I, on the subject of bizarre conversation, had never thought to meet a crazier discourser than Hung-Hsiu-Chuan, leader of the Taiping Rebellion who was hopelessly mad, or Mangas Colorado, chief of the Mimbreno Apache, who was hopelessly drunk. I discovered in that hut under Selassie that I’d been quite wrong; King Theodore was both hopelessly mad and drunk, and could give either of them a head start and a beating in the race to Alice’s tea party.


Flashman on the March, pp.202-03, Harper Collins, paperback edition 2005.



Tags: Flashman, Flashman quotes, conversation.

Always been ivory

      The deuce of it is, when Elspeth turns a conversation topsy-turvy, all wide-eyed innocence, you can never be sure whether it’s witlessness or guile. She’d always been ivory from her delightful neck upwards, but that don’t mean she can’t wheedle a duck from a pond when so minded.


Flashman and the Tiger, p.234, Harper Collins, paperback edition 2000.


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Quality of unseen company

...from which came the rumbling conversation of worthies with beards and gold watch-chains across their weskits — you can always tell the quality of unseen company by the noise they make...


Flashman and the Angel of the Lord, p.205, Harper Collins, 1995.


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Lecturing interminably

…conversation consisted of Brooke lecturing interminably; like most active men. he had all the makings of a thoroughgoing bore.

Flashman's Lady, p.135, Pan edition, 1979.

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Wattling, no doubt

I stood there, wattling no doubt, and trying to think of a cutting retort – but interrupting a conversation between a woman and a cat ain’t as easy as it might seem. One tends to look a fool.

Flashman at the Charge, p.261, Pan edition, 5th printing, 1979.

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Flashman, Flashman quotes,cat, conversation.

Conversational etiquette and wild dogs

I never interrupt an enthusiast, especially one with a temper like a wild dog’s.

Flash For Freedom!, p.77, Pan edition, 8th printing, 1980.

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Flashman, Flashman quotes,enthusiast.

Strange conversation

I suppose I’ve been in some queer places with some damned odd fellows, but nothing queerer that watching those big black fighting sluts march by while a classically educated slaver skipper babbled to me about anthropological research.

Flash For Freedom!, p.76, Pan edition, 8th printing, 1980.

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Flashman, Flashman quotes.