The Land Leviathan (A Nomad of the Time Streams Novel) Read Online Free PDF Page B

China.”
    “Unfortunately,” said Mr. Lu in a dry but good-humoured tone, “you are not the only European to be so smitten. But must one always take steps to possess that which one loves, Mr. Moorcock?”
    I accepted his point. “I do not approve of my government’s Chinese policies,” I told him. “But you will admit that there is more law and order in the territories controlled by Britain than in other parts of China. After all, the Chinese Question remains a vexed one...”
    “There would be no Chinese Question, Mr. Moorcock,” said Mr. Lu with a ghost of a smile, “without Europe and Japan. Who was it introduced massive importation of opium into our country? Who was responsible for the devaluation of our currency? These were not internally created problems.”
    “Probably not. And yet...”
    “And yet I could be wrong. Who is to tell?”
    “The Manchus cannot be said to be incorruptible,” I told him, and I smiled a smile which echoed his.
    His own smile became a broad grin and he sat back against the wall, waving the hand which held the cigarette, granting me, as it were, the match. I think the gesture was made graciously rather than from any real agreement with the point of view I had presented.
    T he train traveled steadily through the rest of the day and into the night. We slept as best we could on the shuddering floor of the wagon, ever in danger of a horse breaking free and trampling us. It was almost dawn when the train came to a sudden screaming halt, causing the horses to buck about in fear, stamping and snorting, causing our men to leap to their feet, hands on their rifles.
    The noise of the stop gave way to a peculiar and uncanny silence. In the distance we heard a few voices shouting back along the train and cautiously we slid the doors right back, peering into the murk to try to see what was happening.
    “At least there’s no gunfire,” said Mr. Lu calmly. “We are not under direct attack. Perhaps it is nothing more than a blockage on the line.”
    But it was plain he was not convinced by his own suggestion. Together we clambered from the wagon and began to walk up the line towards the locomotive.
    The big engine was still ejaculating huge clouds of white steam and through this steam moved dark figures. From the windows of the carriages there poked scores of heads as sleepy soldiers shouted enquiries or exchanged speculations about the reasons for our stopping.
    Mr. Lu singled out one of the more competent-looking officers and addressed a few short questions to him. The man replied, shrugging frequently, making dismissive gestures, pointing towards the north and up at the jagged mountain peaks above our heads.
    The sun made its first tentative appearance as Mr. Lu rejoined me.
    “The line has been blown up,” he said. “We are lucky that the driver acted with alacrity in stopping the train. There is no chance of continuing. The train will have to go back to the nearest town. We have the choice of going with it and enjoying the dubious security of traveling with these soldiers, or we can continue our journey on horseback.”
    I made up my mind immediately, for I was slowly becoming impatient with the delays and diversions we had so far experienced. “I should like to continue,” I told Mr. Lu. “It is time those horses were exercised!”
    This was evidently the answer he had hoped for. With a quick smile he turned and began to stride back to our section of the train, calling out to his men to ready the horses and to load them, saying to me in an English aside:
    “Personally I think we stand a much better chance on our own. This is territory at present controlled by the warlord General Liu Fang. His main interest is in wiping out the troops which have been sent against him. I do not think he will bother an ordinary caravan, particularly if we have a European gentleman traveling with us. Liu Fang hopes, I gather, to recruit allies from Europe. A plan which is almost certainly doomed to