response 195 of 215:

Jun 12 21:16 UTC 2001

  "But I don't speak Danish, dammit!"
  "But you have a gift for languages, remember?  In the few weeks available,
you can be given a smattering.  No more than that will be necessary, for His
Highness speaks German indifferently well, as you will before you take his
place.  You have a tolerable fluency as it is."
  "But ... but ... well, how the devil do you propose that I *should* take
his place?  Go to Denmark, I suppose, and present suitable references!
Balderdash!"
  "You need not go to Denmark.  I have been in constant communication with
Prince Carl Gustaf.   Naturally, he does not know of our plan, but he does
have great faith in me.  One of the ministers I mentioned is in my employ.
Through him, all has been arranged.  The Prince will set out from Denmark
when the time comes with his retinue; he has been led to believe I have found
a way out of his difficulties.  He is rather a simple fellow, although
amiable, and supposes that I can arrange matters.  In that belief he will
come to Holstein, en route to Strackenz, and in Holstein the substitution
will take place.  The mechanics you may leave to me."
  It was like listening to some grotesque fairy-tale.  The cool, precies
way in which he told it was staggering.
  "But ... but this retinue -- his people, I mean...."
  "The minister who is my agent will accompany the Prince.  His name is
Detchard.  With him at your side, you need have no fears.  *And no one
will suspect you*:  why should they?"
  "Because I'll give myself away in a hundred things, man!  My voice, my
actions--God knows what!"
  "That is not so," said Bismarck.  "I tell you, I know the Prince, his
voice, his mannerisms--all of it.  And I tell you that if you shave your
head and upper lip, your own mothers would not know you apart."
  "It's true," says Rudi, from the fireplace.  "You aren't just alike;
you're the same  man.  If you learn a few of his habits--gestures, that
sort of thing--it can't fail."
  "But I'm not an actor! How can I--"
  "You wandered in Afghanistan disguised as a native, did you not?" says
Bismarck.  "I know as much about you as you do yourself, you see.  If you
can do that, you can easily do this."  He leaned forward again.  "All this
has been thought of.  If you were not a man of action, of proved resource
and courage, of *geist und geschicklichkeit*, with and aptitude, I would
not have entertained this scheme for a moment.  It is because you *have*
all these things, and have proved them, that you are here now."
  Well, that was all *he* knew.  God help him, he believed the newspapers,
and my huge overblown reputation--he thought I was the daredevil _____
_______ of popular report, the Hero of Jallalabad, and all that tommy-rot.
And there was no hope that I could persuade him otherwise.

response 197 of 215:

Jun 13 02:17 UTC 2001

The quotes are from two different books (although the main character is the
same).  To the best of my knowledge, the author has written no Arthur books.

response 199 of 215:

Jun 13 04:33 UTC 2001

Er, uh, that's got to be Flashman!  Wish I could remember the author...

response 201 of 215:

Jun 13 14:37 UTC 2001

Which is why I thought it was Sharpe.  I'll have to read the Flashman books
after I finish the Sharpe stories.

response 203 of 215:

Jun 19 03:41 UTC 2001

(Re: #202 - Tolkien, LOTR)

Got a new quote for us, mdw?

response 205 of 215:

Jun 19 11:15 UTC 2001

The "blad that was broken" is a fairly specific piece of the plot, if nothing
else gives it away.  Other stuff gives it away, though.

response 207 of 215:

Jun 19 20:44 UTC 2001

Edumon Spenser?  No, probably not.

response 209 of 215:

Jun 19 22:19 UTC 2001

I think you're right.

response 211 of 215:

Jun 24 02:21 UTC 2001

Hmmm...I guess I should do this in the newagora.

response 213 of 215:

Jun 25 15:39 UTC 2001

Well, I can do that, but would you ask in the new item, please?

response 215 of 215:

Jun 26 17:19 UTC 2001

Let me know if I didn't link the right one.....  8^}