SEARCH
0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Prev | Current Page 324 | Next

Thackeray, William Makepeace, 1811-1863

"Burlesques"

"Whish!
bang! pop! Hurrah!--charge!--forwards!--cut them down!--no quarter!"
I saw--yes, no, yes, no, yes!--I saw regiment upon regiment of galloping
British horsemen riding over the ranks of the flying natives. First of
the host, I recognized, O heaven! my AHMEDNUGGAR IRREGULARS! On came the
gallant line of black steeds and horsemen, swift, swift before them rode
my officers in yellow--Glogger, Pappendick, and Stuffle; their sabres
gleamed in the sun, their voices rung in the air. "D--- them!" they
cried, "give it them, boys!" A strength supernatural thrilled through my
veins at that delicious music: by one tremendous effort, I wrested the
post from its foundation, five feet in the ground. I could not release
my hands from the fetters, it is true; but, grasping the beam tightly,
I sprung forward--with one blow I levelled the five executioners in the
midst of the fire, their fall upsetting the scalding oil-can; with the
next, I swept the bearers of Bobbachy's palanquin off their legs; with
the third, I caught that chief himself in the small of the back, and
sent him flying on to the sabres of my advancing soldiers!
The next minute, Glogger and Stuffle were in my arms, Pappendick leading
on the Irregulars. Friend and foe in that wild chase had swept far
away.


Pages:
312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336