And from Nebraska, too

     ‘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 she? You don’t think she’d do the dirty deed herself if she could get some simpleton to do it for her? Of course, she won’t care to admit it, even to herself, but it’s true, just the same. I know my own kind.’
     ‘I don’t believe that for a moment,’ said Mr Franklin. ‘Why she wanted to share the blame — you heard her — she’d have gone to prison like a shot.’
     ‘Yes, I heard her,’ said Sir Harry. ‘Heard myself, in similar situations — when I reckoned it was safe.’


Mr American, p.437, Pan Books, paperback edition 1982.


Tags: Flashman, Flashman quotes, dense.

Let ’em try

A scandal was averted, and Sir Harry, taxed with his behaviour by indignant lawyers — principally his own, a sorely-tried and ready-witted practitioner in Wine Office Court — claimed total innocence of any attempt to pervert the course of justice. On being assured that he might easily have been prosecuted for conspiracy, the old soldier had remarked scornfully: ‘Let ’em try to put a ninety-two-year-old hero of Balaclava in the Scrubs if they dare. There’d be a revolution.’ And there that particular aspect of the case rested, with not a few sighs of relief.


Mr American, p.394, Pan Books, paperback edition 1982.


Tags: Flashman, Flashman quotes, justice.

Being a martyr

     ‘She’s seen the inside of Holloway now,’ he said. ‘I know she’s set on being a martyr — they all are, these idiot women — but it’s surprising how the clang of those iron doors and the sight of those gruesome faces can change one’s mind, even a mind as stiff as hers. I’ve had more cell doors shut on me than I care to remember, and there wasn’t one I wouldn’t have sold my soul to open again.’



Mr American, p.389, Pan Books, paperback edition 1982.


Tags: Flashman, Flashman quotes, cell.

Odd place to start a turn-up

‘You know she’s in the jug, don’t you? Silly little baggage! Some rumpus at the Royal Academy — well, it’s original, hand her that. When I heard about it, I thought “Well, bigod, that’s one ken they never slung you out of.” Odd place to start a turn-up; don’t even serve drink there, I believe.’



Mr American, p.386, Pan Books, paperback edition 1982.


Tags: Flashman, Flashman quotes, rumpus.

Red-handed

Pity the traps hadn't caught him red-handed; ten years of skilly and fetters would have done him a power of good.


Flashman and the Tiger, p.114, Harper Collins, paperback edition 2000.


Tags: Flashman, Flashman quotes, caught.

A nice dark corner

Old dungeon-fighters like myself – and I’ve had a wealth of experience, from the vaults of Jotunberg, where I was sabre to sabre with Starnberg, to that Afghan prison where I let dear old Hudson take the strain – know that the thing to do on these occasions is find a nice dark corner and crawl into it.

Flashman at the Charge, p.227, Pan edition, 5th printing, 1979.

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Flashman, Flashman quotes,dungeon, sabre.

Menn like Colonel Flash-mann

‘At Rugby School,’ repeated Albert. ‘That is a great English school, Willy,’ says he to the greenhorn, ‘of the kind which turns younk boys like yourself into menn like Colonel Flash-mann here.’ Well, true enough, I’d found it a fair mixture of jail and knocking-shop; I stood there trying to look like a chap who says his prayers in a cold bath every day.

Flashman at the Charge, p.33, Pan edition, 5th printing, 1979.

Tags:
Flashman, Flashman quotes,Rugby school, jail,knocking shop.

As the Prussians say

‘…we’ll have you repaired and made all klim-bim as the Prussians say. Devilish places, these jails, aren’t they, no proper facilities for a gentleman at all…’

Royal Flash, p.94, Pan edition, 8th printing, 1978.

Tags:
Flashman, Flashman quotes,Prussian.

Claim a record

I wonder sometimes if any man on earth has come to in a cell more often than I have. It had been happening to me all my life; perhaps I could claim a record. But if I did some American would be sure to beat it at once.

Royal Flash, p.88, Pan edition, 8th printing, 1978.

Tags:
Flashman, Flashman quotes.

A variety of jails

I have been in a variety of jails in my life, from Mexico (where they are truly abominable) to Australia, America, Russia, and dear old England, and I never saw a good one yet.

Flashman, p.209, Pan edition, 12th printing, 1979.

Tags:
Flashman, Flashman quotes,jail.