Flashman Papers 3-Book Collection 4: Flashman and the Dragon, Flashman on the March, Flashman and the Tiger. George Fraser MacDonald
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must be eradicated from the world, and from the human mind. By sight, by scent, by touch may temptation be aroused. Temptation is caused by the original sin of lust, in the beginning of the world.”
Well, no one was going to argue with that, least of all Flashy, grinding his teeth, or the Tien Wang, staring and hanging on every word, so to speak. Then he lay back with a gentle groan, as she leaned forward over him, reading rapturously.
“Temptation results from indecision. As a homeless person wanders, seeking relief, so the unstable mind is always subject to temptation, which beguiles the senses of the unwary, or,” her voice sank to a whisper, “those who lack the power of decision.”
She sighed convulsively, no doubt at the pathos of the thing, and with difficulty I restrained a sharp cry. The Tien Wang, on the other hand, emitted a low, percolating sound, staring up at them like one who lacked the power of decision but would get round to it presently.
“A mind lured by temptation will deteriorate from day to day,” whispers the reading girl soulfully, and shook her pagoda, which tinkled. “Conscience will perish. Ah, beware when conscience perishes, for then … then lust will grow.”
There was much in what she said, as the veins standing out on my bulging forehead testified. She’d been practically suffocating him, but now she straightened up, rolling her scroll, and his majesty gave a little whimper, and reached up a pawing hand. At the same moment the female at my feet stirred, gliding up to rest her arms on the divan, blast her, her hand straying on to his knee. He gaped vacantly at her, going red in the face and breathing with difficulty, looked back at the reading girl, who was opening another scroll, and began to growl – whether it was possible for his mind to deteriorate any further was doubtful, but plainly conscience was about to perish.
“As lust grows, and conscience dies, the Devil will seize his opportunity,” croons the reading hussy, and I contemplated her twin’s alabaster bottom, poised within easy reach, and wondered if I dared play the Devil myself. In the nick of time I recalled that this panting idiot on the couch was the monster who had slaughtered millions and took heads off for adultery; God knew what he did to molesters of the Heavenly Harem. I bit my knuckles instead, watching helpless as the reader reached her peroration; the brute was dazedly pawing at her with one hand while the other clutched at her twin, who seemed to be trying to climb into his lap. Suddenly the reading girl flung aside her scroll and lunged down at him, babbling:
“Suppress temptation! Throw out evil! Cleanse the heart! So the felicity of Paradise will be won! Everyone shall conquer temptation, and having thus strengthened himself, will be able to attack the small demons! Universal peace will follow!”
And I’ve no doubt it did, to judge by the gasps and sobs and rhythmic pagoda tinklings which pursued me as I fled a-tiptoe for the archway. Well, it would have been damned bad form to stay, and I swear to God I couldn’t have – not without committing the fearful lèse-majesté of plunging into the mêlée crying “Me, too!” Not that they’d have noticed, probably. The women were ecstatics, and as for that lecherous lunatic with his crimson bowels and visits to heaven – well, aside from being the starkest maniac I’d ever struck, he was also a damned poor host. And he had inspired the Taiping rebellion? It passed belief – but he did, and if you doubt one word of his conversation with me, or his concubine’s recitation, you’ll find every last syllable of them in scholarly works written about him by learned men – all except about Dr Sylvester, for whom I believe I’m the sole authority. And that, you’ll allow, was the sanest part of it.15
No – he was a raving, dangerous, dreadful madman, and one of the most diabolical powers ever loosed on a suffering world. Hung Hsiu Chu’an, the Coolie King. As to his depravity – in my eyes his one redeeming quality – I’ve told my tale, and you may put it in the balance between those who claim he was a celibate saint, and t’others who say he was topsides with Tiberius. I’ll add only that no one disputes that he lived surrounded by a thousand women, eighty-eight of ’em “wives”. And devil a thought for his guests.
I emerged in the corridor panting like the town bull, to find the Bearer of Heavenly Decrees wide-eyed and palpitating anxiously; by George, she’ll never know how close she came to being dragged off and ravished. But here was Lee, pale and eager.
“You saw him? He spoke with you? What did he say?” He gripped my arm in his excitement, and I had sense enough to take time to reply.
“General Lee,” says I, gulping. “I’ve never seen or heard the like in my life.”
He let out a hissing breath, and then smiled slowly. “I knew it. I knew it. He is like God, is he not?”
“He’s certainly like nothing on earth,” says I, and caught a drift of tantalising perfume from the Bearer of Heavenly Decrees, who had edged up, all eyes and ears. I gritted my teeth and tried not to notice her. “D’ye mind sending her away?” says I hoarsely. “After such an experience I find her presence … distracting.” He snapped a word and she sped off, undulating in a way which brought sweat to my temples.
“I can see you are much moved,” says Lee gently. “It was inevitable, but I am uplifted beyond all expression.” He fairly glowed with holy zeal. “For now that you have seen him, you too have … faith.”
It didn’t sink in for a moment. “D’you mean to say,” I croaked, “…Šthat was why you had me brought … just to see … him?” I gaped at the man. “In God’s name! Did you have to kidnap me? I’d have gone willingly if you’d –”
“There was no time to explain. It was necessary to be secret and sudden – as you saw. I had learned that there were those who would have kept you from his presence if they could. Fortunately, they failed.”
“But … who were they? Why? See here, I might have had my throat cut by those swine, whoever –”
“It does not matter, now. For you have seen him, in his divinity. And now you, too, believe.” He studied my face. “For you do believe, do you not?”
“By God, I do!” cries I fervently. What I believed, I wasn’t about to tell him, which was that his Heavenly King and the whole kit-boodle of them were cracked beyond repair. I’d have a fine report to give Bruce, if ever I got out of their demented clutches. I shook my head like a man awe-struck. “General Lee,” says I solemnly, “I am in your debt. You have opened my eyes to the full.”
“No. He has done that,” says he, looking like Joan of Arc. “Now you can tell your people what manner of being leads the Taiping. They will share your faith.” He nodded, content. “And I can go to Soochow, and later to Shanghai, with a quiet mind. Whatever my enemies may wish, they cannot undo what has been done for you tonight.”
“Amen,” says I, and on that he said that henceforth I could stay at his brother’s place in perfect safety, for now I’d seen the Heavenly King no one would molest me. I assured him again that it had been the biggest thing in my life, and because I’m cursed with curiosity, I asked him: “General – you have been privileged to see the Heavenly King countless times. Tell me, does he usually receive visitors … alone? Or does he have … er … attendants with him?”
He frowned, and then slowly shook his head. “Whenever I have stood in his divine presence,” says he, “I have never been aware of any but him.”
Which suggested either that I had caught his majesty off duty, so to speak, or that his faithful followers were so besotted with worship that they didn’t notice, or didn’t care, when naked trollops climbed all over him. Some damned odd cabinet meetings they must have had. One thing was sure, they didn’t call Lee the Loyal Prince for nothing.
Now I’ve told you plain, at some length, of my first day and night in Nanking, because there’s no better way of showing you what the Taiping was like, and in the two long months I was with them everything I saw merely went to confirm that first impression. I saw much of their city, of their crazy laws and crazier religion, of the might and ruthlessness