Free The War of the Dragon Lady by John Wilcox Page A

no heed. Exhilarated by the clatter of the bullets, the gunner kept firing, bringing tiles down from the buildings at the far end of the street and causing showers of plaster to rain down on the retreating Boxers. Soon the attackers were out of sight, leaving their dead lying on the rough surface, their blood soaking into their like-coloured ribbons and sashes.
    Chang was looking at Jenkins with a mixture of horror and fascination. ‘You are indeed extremely good fighter, Mister Jenkins,’ he said. ‘You frighten me.’
    Jenkins had the grace to look embarrassed. ‘Well, son, it was ’im or me. I ’ad to go at ’im with the lunger ’cos I didn’t ’ave anythin’ up the spout, look you.’
    The Chinaman was puzzled and turned his head around. ‘Where do I look, Mr Jenkins? Where is spout?’
    Simon sighed. ‘Never mind, now, Chang. You did well.’ He turned to the Austrian sergeant, speaking slowly. ‘The Boxers might come back,’ he said. ‘Is your minister inside?’
    ‘No, mein herr . He is in der Legation Quarter.’
    ‘Very sensible of him. Well, tell him that I do not think it possible to defend this building here, outside the Legation walls. He should evacuate it.’
    ‘I will tell him. Excuse me, mein herr . Who are you?’
    ‘I am formerly a captain in the British infantry and this is my comrade, formerly a sergeant in the army. We are … er … advisingthe British minister. I know what I am talking about, Sergeant, I assure you. Evacuate this Legation. It is indefensible. Oh, and tell your men to fire lower with that Maxim.’
    ‘ Ach so. Very gut, sir.’
     
    The three walked back down Custom Street, their weapons at the ready, but there was no sign of Boxers. They met, however, a small band of European civilians, armed with an assortment of sporting rifles and similar weapons. They were on their way, the Frenchman at their head explained to Fonthill, to the exposed South Cathedral, which seemed to lie directly in the path of the advancing Boxers. A cluster of Catholic missionaries were sheltering there who needed to be escorted to the Legation enclave, if it was not too late.
    ‘We’ll come with you,’ said Simon. ‘You may need us.’
    In fact, the cathedral was not under immediate threat when they arrived. But the little party rounded up more than twenty Catholic missionaries sheltering within the venerable cathedral, plus five Sisters of Charity and twenty Chinese nuns. As they turned back towards the Legation walls they saw the glow of the Boxers’ torches to the north and heard the distant chanting, growing nearer. Hurrying through the silent streets back to the Legation gates, they saw the old cathedral go up in flames behind them.
    Back in the Legation compound, they were met by an anxious Mrs Griffith and Alice. Of Gerald, once again there was no sight.
    Alice put her hand on her husband’s arm. ‘The whole commercial quarter – the richest part of the city – has been burnt down,’ she said. ‘All those lovely pearl and jewellery shops, the beautiful textile stores, the silk and satin warehouses have been destroyed. Simon, I wouldprefer it if you would not go out again outside the Legation walls. It is clear that the Boxers are starting now to infiltrate the city and, if they come at you from all sides, even you and the mighty 352 would not be able to defend yourselves. And I do not wish to be left alone in this strange country, if you don’t mind.’
    Fonthill seized her hand and kissed it. ‘I’m afraid, darling, that we shall have to go again, although not tonight. We cannot give up the streets to the Boxers. They should be patrolled. I also think we shall have to start erecting some defences. The Quarter is very vulnerable, particularly from the south. I fear I must start laying down the law a bit with Sir Claude.’
     
    So it was that the next morning Fonthill requested an interview with the British minister. He found the tall Scotsman very preoccupied.
    ‘Thank