I Read Books: Under Two Flags

Under Two Flags

Bertie Cecil, known as “Beauty” in the Guards Regiment of which he is an officer, lives large, spending his allowance, wallowing in luxury, declaring that the Guards work harder than any others. He inspires and offers loyalty to his servant/groom/batman and, presumably, the other guardsmen under his command.

A convoluted series of events puts him on the wrong side of professional gamblers and he is disgraced thanks to a forged promissory note drawn on his great friend and fellow officer (the “Seraph”). As proving his innocence would compromise the reputation of a lady and cast suspicion on his younger brother he fakes his own death and joins the French Foreign Legion in Algeria (trailed by his batman who he fails to shake).

There he excels in war with the Arabs and rises to the rank of corporal. However further advancement is blocked by his chief who despises him on the assumption that an English nobleman thinks himself superior though obviously he is disgraced. And he is superior after all, the finest horseman and sabre, and a martyr. More than this, he upholds honour beyond that of every other soldier, none of whom think twice in looting or robbing, and when the wife of an Arab chief was taken prisoner and threatened returned her safely, causing the Bedouin tribe to change sides.

Amongst the Army of Algeria is the young woman Cigarette, who is a law unto herself, inspiration, rogue, a dancer and pistoleer whose loyalty to the army and furious passions nevertheless do not allow her to fall in love. And here the novel picks up, with these two, one calm, the other extravagant, refusing to admit to any affection between them while each being put in more and more difficult positions.

After a great battle in which Bertie and Cigarette distinguish themselves several European visitors arrive and Bertie’s secrets start to unravel.

Read This: A fun and rather silly 19^th century novel of adventure, honour and (romance)
Don’t Read This: Noble sacrifice at great length does not appeal and the 2021 Victorian Authors Don't Get Weird About Race challenge fails to be met
Out Of Copyright: And available to read online