A sort of atmospheric pressure

     ‘Are you saying,’ said Mr Franklin grimly, ‘the trial was rigged?’
     ‘You’re a bigger ass than I thought you were, if you believe that,’ said Sir Harry. ‘Of course it wasn’t. It didn’t have to be. This isn’t America, where you have to slip a thousand dollars to a congressman or a judge to get things done. You’re a new country; things ain’t settled yet. But here — things aren’t rigged. Look at Button — her father’s a lord, connected to God knows who. She’s my great niece, and I’m half-Paget, and my sister-in-law married a Rothschild, and among the lot of us I dare say we’re connected to half the criminal upper-classes — you don’t “rig” things because you don’t have to. There’s a sort of atmospheric pressure that causes things to go properly and fittingly. Button couldn’t go to jail unless her family washed their hands of her — which they would, like a shot, if it was murder or high treason. But smashing pictures? Hardly. And it isn’t rigging, you see. You couldn’t rig a British judge and jury nowadays, not if you tried.’


Mr American, p.430, Pan Books, paperback edition 1982.



Tags: Flashman, Flashman quotes, rig.

Our movement

     ‘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 our movement is dedicated to — ’
     ‘Well, if that’s what they say, they’re quite right, and you can thank God for it.’ said Sir Harry.


Mr American, p.427, Pan Books, paperback edition 1982.



Tags: Flashman, Flashman quotes, injustice.

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.

Your vacant gape

“We may agree with Horace, I think — Raro antecedentem scelestrum deseruit pede poena claudo. I see from your vacant gape that you’re no better acquainted with his works than you were on the College, damn you ignorance! So I’ll tell you it means that Justice, though moving slowly, seldom fails to overhaul the fleeing villain.”


Flashman and the Angel of the Lord, p.59, Harper Collins, 1995.


Tags: Flashman, Flashman quotes, justice.

Vindictive pleasure

I suppose my life has been full of poetic justice – an expression customarily used by Holy Joes to cloak the vindictive pleasure they feel when some enterprising fellow fetches himself a cropper.

Flashman at the Charge, p.201, Pan edition, 5th printing, 1979.

Tags:
Flashman, Flashman quotes,Holy Joes, vindictive.

Strict justice

‘From me they have strict justice, under law’, says this amazing gorilla. ‘And they love me for it. Has anyone seen the knout, or the butuks* used on my estate?’

*Press for crushing feet.

Flashman at the Charge, p.145, Pan edition, 5th printing, 1979.

Tags:
Flashman, Flashman quotes,gorilla.