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In the Mahdi's Grasp By: George Manville Fenn (1831-1909) |
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A young army officer has been captured during the wars in Soudan, and is
being held as a slave in the stronghold of the Mahdi. For years it had
been thought that he was dead. His friends in London decide to go and
try to rescue him. One of them is a well known and proficient surgeon.
They arrive in Cairo, and proceed on down into the Soudan, where they
get in contact with an influential Sheikh. They establish themselves by
doing many cures, where it is possible, and gradually work themselves
nearer and nearer to the place where they estimate the missing Harry to
be. Eventually they are able to make contact. Harry breaks his own arm
in order to be brought to the surgeon, or Hakim, for a cure. Eventually they are able to escape with him, but to do so they have to
run right through a battle. They had brought out with them a personal
manservant, at his own request, and he had been in a semi disguise, by
staining the skin a very deep colour. This very nearly results in his
being killed on the battlefield through which they are escaping. An informative book, quite a long one, in a good Manville Fenn style,
which is well known for sustained tension. IN THE MAHDI'S GRASP, BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN. CHAPTER ONE. IN WIMPOLE STREET. Sam or, as he liked to be called, "Mr Samuel," or "Mr Downes,"
holding as he did the important post of confidential and body servant to
Dr Robert Morris, a position which made it necessary for him to open
the door to patients and usher them into the consulting room, and upon
particular occasions be called in to help with a visitor who had turned
faint about nothing "a poor plucked 'un," as he termed him To begin again: Sam, who was in his best black and stiffest white tie, consequent upon
"the doctor" having company to dinner that evening, had just come out of
the dining room of the dingy house in Wimpole Street, carrying a
mahogany tray full of dish covers, when cook opened the glass door at
the top of the kitchen stairs, thrust her head into the hall, looked
eagerly at Sam, as she stood fanning her superheated face with her
apron, and said "Well?" There was a folding pair of trestles standing ready, and Sam placed the
tray upon them, raised a white damask napkin from where it hung over his
arm, and was about to wipe his perspiring forehead with it, when cook
exclaimed sharply "Sam!" "Forgot," said that gentleman, and he replaced the napkin upon his arm
and took out a clean pocket handkerchief, did what was necessary, and
then repeated cook's word "Well?" "Did they say anything about the veal cutlets?" "No," said Sam, shaking his head. "Nor yet about the curry?" "No. And they didn't say a word about the soup, nor half a word about
the fish." "My chycest gravy soup, ar lar prin temps " said cook bitterly, "and
filly de sole mater de hotel . One might just as well be cutting chaff
for horses. I don't see any use in toiling and moiling over the things
as I do. Mr Landon's just as bad as master, every bit. I don't
believe either of 'em's got a bit o' taste. Hot as everything was,
too!" "Spesherly the plates," said Sam solemnly. "Burnt one of my fingers
when the napkin slipped." "Then you should have took care. What's a dinner unless the plates and
dishes are hot?" "What, indeed?" said Sam; "but they don't take no notice of anything.
My plate looked lovely, you could see your face out o' shape in every
spoon; and I don't believe they even saw the eighteen pen'orth o'
flowers on the table." "Savages! that's what they are," said cook. "But they did eat the
things." "Yes, they pecked at 'em, but they was talking all the time." "About my cooking?" "Not they! The doctor was talking about a surgical case he had been to
see at the hospital. Something about a soldier as had been walking
about for three years with a bit of broken spear stuck in him out in the
Soudan... Continue reading book >>
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Fiction |
Teen/Young adult |
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