railway. A heavier one this time. Stations have been burnt, the Chinese troops guarding them have fled and the rails have been torn up. The line to Tientsin is definitely broken. More and more missionaries are coming into the Legation. You can’t leave now, I fear, my dear.’ Alice turned her face to Simon. ‘It is rumoured that the Boxers are marching on the city.’
Fonthill put his hand on her shoulder. ‘That rumour has been rife since we got here, my love. But I agree. You can’t leave Peking, my dear Aunt, even though this heat has got so much worse. I will try and see Sir Claude and find the true position.’
Outside, he met a perspiring and indignant Jenkins. ‘’Ere,’ he said.‘’ave you ’eard what ’appened when they burnt down that racecourse place?’
‘No.’
‘These boxin’ chaps got ’old of one of the native Christian blokes and roasted ’im alive in the ashes of the place.’
‘Good Lord. Look, I think trouble is definitely coming here.’ Simon looked with affection at his former batman and his comrade in so many tight corners. ‘352, you once were the best scavenger in the British Army. Do you think—’
‘What’s a scavenger, then, like?’
‘Thief. Well – more the picker-up of unwanted trifles. A taker of things from people who don’t need them and the giver of them to friends who need them.’
‘Well, I did my small best, bach sir, when that sort of … er … skill was needed. What do we need now, then?’
‘We need rifles, 352. We need rifles. Two of them, as modern as you can get but we will put up with older ones, if need be. A couple of Martini-Henrys would be fine. One for you and one for me. If trouble comes, those Colts will not be adequate, I fear. Here, take this money. It should be enough.’
‘Very good, sir. I shall go scrimmaging. Personally, I’d be much ’appier with a proper rifle than with them pea-shooters. I’ve made a couple of drinkin’ mates who might be able to ’elp. No promises, mind you.’ Mopping his brow, he walked firmly away, a sense of purpose in his step.
At the British Legation, Simon found that Sir Claude was in conference with the heads of the other delegations. John Sims, however, an aidewho had once served with Simon’s old regiment, the 24th of Foot, and with whom he had consequently struck up a friendship, was forthcoming about the situation.
The young man, working in his shirtsleeves in a small office as hot as an oven, was emphatic. ‘We’ve heard that the Boxers have seized and are in the process of destroying the railway bridge at Yangtsun, just about the one irreplaceable link in the line between Peking and Tientsin,’ he said. ‘The heads of the legations here can’t agree on concerted action and we’re getting absolutely no change from the Manchu court. So Sir Claude has telegraphed to Admiral Seymour in Tientsin to send a large force to us here before it’s too late.’
He held up a telegram. ‘Haven’t been able to show this to the old man yet, because he’s still chewing the fat with the other ministers, but it says that two thousand armed men of eight nationalities have steamed out of Tientsin this morning. They should be here tonight.’
Fonthill blew out his cheeks. ‘Thank God for that. Look, just in case they can’t get through …’ he held up his hand to stop his friend from interrupting ‘… it sounds as though it’s going to be damned difficult to come the eighty miles by train. Just in case they have to slog through on foot, how many men do we have who could defend the Legation Quarter until they arrive?’
Sims frowned and shook his head. ‘Afraid I have no idea, sir. Apart from the sailors who arrived the other day, there is just a handful of Legation guards, don’t know how many.’ He looked up at Fonthill ruefully. ‘I know what you’re thinking. There should have been some sort of contingency planning, but Sir Claude has been so busy trying to push his colleagues
Fonthill put his hand on her shoulder. ‘That rumour has been rife since we got here, my love. But I agree. You can’t leave Peking, my dear Aunt, even though this heat has got so much worse. I will try and see Sir Claude and find the true position.’
Outside, he met a perspiring and indignant Jenkins. ‘’Ere,’ he said.‘’ave you ’eard what ’appened when they burnt down that racecourse place?’
‘No.’
‘These boxin’ chaps got ’old of one of the native Christian blokes and roasted ’im alive in the ashes of the place.’
‘Good Lord. Look, I think trouble is definitely coming here.’ Simon looked with affection at his former batman and his comrade in so many tight corners. ‘352, you once were the best scavenger in the British Army. Do you think—’
‘What’s a scavenger, then, like?’
‘Thief. Well – more the picker-up of unwanted trifles. A taker of things from people who don’t need them and the giver of them to friends who need them.’
‘Well, I did my small best, bach sir, when that sort of … er … skill was needed. What do we need now, then?’
‘We need rifles, 352. We need rifles. Two of them, as modern as you can get but we will put up with older ones, if need be. A couple of Martini-Henrys would be fine. One for you and one for me. If trouble comes, those Colts will not be adequate, I fear. Here, take this money. It should be enough.’
‘Very good, sir. I shall go scrimmaging. Personally, I’d be much ’appier with a proper rifle than with them pea-shooters. I’ve made a couple of drinkin’ mates who might be able to ’elp. No promises, mind you.’ Mopping his brow, he walked firmly away, a sense of purpose in his step.
At the British Legation, Simon found that Sir Claude was in conference with the heads of the other delegations. John Sims, however, an aidewho had once served with Simon’s old regiment, the 24th of Foot, and with whom he had consequently struck up a friendship, was forthcoming about the situation.
The young man, working in his shirtsleeves in a small office as hot as an oven, was emphatic. ‘We’ve heard that the Boxers have seized and are in the process of destroying the railway bridge at Yangtsun, just about the one irreplaceable link in the line between Peking and Tientsin,’ he said. ‘The heads of the legations here can’t agree on concerted action and we’re getting absolutely no change from the Manchu court. So Sir Claude has telegraphed to Admiral Seymour in Tientsin to send a large force to us here before it’s too late.’
He held up a telegram. ‘Haven’t been able to show this to the old man yet, because he’s still chewing the fat with the other ministers, but it says that two thousand armed men of eight nationalities have steamed out of Tientsin this morning. They should be here tonight.’
Fonthill blew out his cheeks. ‘Thank God for that. Look, just in case they can’t get through …’ he held up his hand to stop his friend from interrupting ‘… it sounds as though it’s going to be damned difficult to come the eighty miles by train. Just in case they have to slog through on foot, how many men do we have who could defend the Legation Quarter until they arrive?’
Sims frowned and shook his head. ‘Afraid I have no idea, sir. Apart from the sailors who arrived the other day, there is just a handful of Legation guards, don’t know how many.’ He looked up at Fonthill ruefully. ‘I know what you’re thinking. There should have been some sort of contingency planning, but Sir Claude has been so busy trying to push his colleagues
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