It strikes me, Mr. Murchison, that the British lion is a rather slow animal when he has to act through three thousand miles of red tape.
Context: Andrew Doone, an American, makes this comment to Mr. Murchison, the lawyer, expressing his frustration with the bureaucratic delays in Canada regarding his land purchase. This highlights a central theme of administrative inefficiency contrasting with Doone's pragmatism.
The Fenians are coming! The Fenians are coming! A hundred thousand strong!
Context: This exaggerated cry, often repeated by various anxious villagers and officials, epitomizes the hysterical panic spreading through Canadian border communities about an impending Fenian raid. It underscores the central 'alarm' around which the plot revolves.
If there's going to be any fighting, I want to be on the winning side, and I want to know what I'm fighting for.
Context: Andrew Doone says this to his Canadian acquaintances, expressing his pragmatic, non-committal stance regarding the Fenian threat. It contrasts his American individualism and detachment with the local, more emotional loyalty and fear.
I wish I were a man! I'd take a rifle and show these Fenians what Canadian loyalty means!
Context: Miss Murchison exclaims this during a moment of heightened anxiety about the Fenian threat. It showcases her fervent patriotism and contrasts with Doone's detached pragmatism, revealing her spirited character.
They've got a whole army drilling, sir, for a war that's been put off for a week or two, by the looks of things.
Context: A local Canadian, perhaps a farmer or villager, makes this observation to Andrew Doone. It humorously points to the inefficiency and often comical delays in the amateur military preparations against the Fenian threat.
They had drilled until they were tired, and then they stopped and had a smoke, which seemed to be the main object of their manoeuvres.
Context: The narrator describes the local militia's training, humorously highlighting the lack of seriousness and the mundane reality behind the dramatic preparations for war. This illustrates the satirical tone of the novel.
We can't have an American citizen leading our forces, even if he happens to own the farm next door.
Context: An exasperated Canadian official explains the rigid regulations to someone, highlighting the bureaucratic and nationalistic hurdles even amidst a crisis. This demonstrates the often absurd adherence to rules over common sense.
I came here for peace and quiet, and I seem to have stumbled into a picnic with a powder-magazine for a lunch basket.
Context: Andrew Doone muses to himself about the unexpected turn of events on his newly purchased Canadian farm. His desire for tranquility has been replaced by the constant anxiety and preparations for a potential raid.
These Fenians, sir, are nothing but a pack of rascals, but they're rascals with a very good idea of strategy.
Context: A local military man or concerned citizen offers this mixed assessment of the Fenian raiders to Doone. It encapsulates the blend of contempt and grudging respect held for the perceived enemy, adding to the comedic tension.
And so, the great Fenian invasion, like many another great event, passed off without happening at all.
Context: This reflective line, likely from the narrator or a summing-up by a character, comments on the anti-climactic end to the Fenian scare. It encapsulates the book's humorous satire of exaggerated fears and bureaucratic overreactions.