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The Seven Who Fled (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)

At a glance:

Characters Discussed

Dr. Liu (lyew), a Chinese merchant who permits six men and a woman, all Europeans, to join his caravan as a means of escaping civil disturbances in Sinkiang Province. He agrees to take them to Shanghai, two thousand miles away. Along the way, two of the party are imprisoned, two are detained as hostages, serious illness befalls another, and a sixth member leaves the caravan to visit Tibet. When Dr. Liu finds himself left with only the beautiful Mme de la Scaze, he tries to make her a prisoner at his sumptuous villa in Lu-chow, but she escapes and makes her way to Shanghai.

Hugo Wildenbruch (VIHL-dehn- brewkh), a young German geologist who is imprisoned by the authorities at Aqsu. He passes his time in prison counting passersby and keeping a journal. He falls ill with tuberculosis and becomes despondent while hoping wildly to return to his native land.

Joachim von Wald (yoh-AH-khihm fon vahlt), a young Austrian geologist who is imprisoned by authorities at Aqsu. High-spirited and hopeful, he enjoys his adventures, becomes enchanted by the Orient, and decides upon arriving in Shanghai to stay in the East.

Serafimov (seh-rah-fih-MOF), a Russian exile, a huge, powerful man. He is held as a hostage at Aqsu. He tires of being tormented by his fellow hostage, Goupillière, and kills him. He makes his way to Shanghai, where he meets a prostitute, the ill-fated Mme de la Scaze.

Goupillière (gew-pee- LYEHR), a Belgian criminal, held as a hostage at Aqsu. An evil man who has robbed and murdered women, he is a fugitive from punishment. He torments the Russian, Serafimov, who murders him.

Mme Olivia de la Scaze (duh lah skahz), a beautiful young Spaniard. She continues on the journey with Dr. Liu toward Shanghai from Aqsu. She escapes from Dr. Liu at Lu-chow, only to fall into the hands of Chinese rivermen who place her, feverish and listless, in a brothel in Shanghai. She resigns herself to her fate.

M. de la Scaze, a wealthy Frenchman who falls ill and is forced to remain at Aqsu because of his illness. He loses his sense of purpose there, simply enjoying life as he finds it. His life ends when he contracts cholera from a beautiful dancer.

Layeville (lay-VEE), a handsome English explorer who is accustomed to hardships. He turns off with another caravan to travel to Tibet, seeking the distant and unattainable. Dying in the Himalayan peaks, he finally realizes that he has sought death.

Mme Tastin (tahs-TAN), a friend of Goupillière.

Mordovinov (mohr-DOH-vih-nof), an old Russian exile who befriends Wildenbruch and von Wald in Mongolia.

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