Shadow of great britain

Martin's Pub, 25 Brick Lane, Whitechapel Parish, Tower Hamlets.

Although Martin's Tavern has only been open for more than a month, the prices are fair and cheap, and the owner, Mr. Martin, has a good relationship with Sheriff Brayden Jones and Miss Fiona Ivan, the underground talkmakers in the Whitechapel district. , so the local gangsters nearby don’t dare to default on their drink payment here, let alone cause trouble.

So even though it is just a newly opened pub, it does not prevent Martin's Tavern from successfully achieving profitability last month.

In the evening, the light of oil lamps gradually came out in the tavern. In the flickering light, sailors, bricklayers and even pickpockets who had just completed a big deal came here one after another, smelling of sweat.

In the crowded and noisy environment, the guests exchanged cups and drank beer mixed with water while playing cards, tossing dice, guessing, and throwing coins of various sizes on the table.

Near the bar, there was a gentleman wearing a big-brimmed hat and a trench coat, holding a pipe and chatting with Mr. Martin.

Mr. Martin had a flattering look on his face. Judging from his appearance, he seemed to be planning to give all the compliments this year to the gentleman in front of him.

Arthur looked at the yellow wine stains on the floor and the cards and coins scattered on the wine table, and asked, "Do they play this every night?"

Mr. Martin nodded and bowed: "Mr. Hastings, it's not like you don't know. Those of us who do manual labor only have so much fun every day. Either drink some wine or gamble some money. If money is tight, we can play cards. If you have a lot of money, go betting on horse racing. By the way, you could still buy lottery tickets in the past, but weren't lottery tickets banned by government legislation two years ago?

The MPs felt that buying lottery tickets would foster laziness, increase poverty, lead to debauchery, destroy the harmonious atmosphere in the country, and increase the number of lunatics. However, I feel that in this regard, Members are really making a fuss out of a molehill.

After all, buying lottery tickets is considered a traditional entertainment project in Britain. I heard my grandfather say that we started playing this thing as early as the 16th century, when Elizabeth I was the time. At that time, the prizes were not only money, but also metal tableware. And fabric and stuff.

That would be much more interesting than the underground lotteries we play now..."

When Mr. Martin said this, his expression suddenly changed, and he realized that he had let something slip.

But what was unexpected was that Arthur didn't delve into what he said.

Our Mr. Hastings just stirred his coffee cup with the silver spoon specially reserved for him in Martin's Tavern.

Arthur said: "Don't worry, I'm off work now and can't take care of many things. But from a friend's point of view, I still advise you to play less of that stuff. The difference between the so-called underground lottery and fraud is not too big. Big. I can understand why workers who have no hope buy such things. After all, they don’t have many ways to get rich.

But Mr. Martin, you are different. Your business is doing well now. As long as you sell your stuff honestly, you will live a decent life sooner or later. Why do you have to have that unrealistic dream of getting rich? In other words, that underground lottery was actually done by you? "

Martin heard this and waved his hands quickly: "Mr. Hastings, don't get me wrong. Although I occasionally add gadgets to my products, I don't do anything illegal at all. You should understand me, I am a good citizen."

Arthur nodded: "Okay, then, good citizen, do you have any news about what I asked you to pass on to Fiona two days ago? A brown cowhide wallet with some money in it, two Elders Mr. Carter's business card, in addition to a supply receipt from the Royal Navy HMS Beagle. Oh, by the way, his silver pocket watch was also stolen. That pocket watch is also very distinctive and should be easy to identify. .”

"Indeed, after all, pocket watches with a naked blonde woman in the background are not very common."

Mr. Martin picked up the rag on the counter and wiped the sweat from his forehead: "However, Mr. Hastings, of course I dare not neglect your orders. But you also know that there are a lot of petty thieves in London. Although Miss Ivan has taken over part of Fred's plate now, her energy is not as strong as Fred's back then, and not every pickpocket who sells stolen goods will think of her immediately."

Arthur replied: "That's what she said, but at least she should know which pickpocket groups often operate in the Marylebone area. That kid with a Scottish accent is a veteran, and he can actually hide under my nose." I unknowingly dug into my friend's pocket.

If you tell me that the kid who can do such a meticulous job is working alone and is a newbie, you are challenging my common sense as a Scotland Yard policeman. "

Mr. Martin thought for a while and asked: "Did you send someone to ask old Fagin in St. Giles? Maybe someone from the West End did it? If that's the case, even if the things didn't reach old Fagin, In his hands, he should at least know which group of people did it."

"Of course I'll send someone to ask Old Fagin." Arthur took a sip of coffee.

"How did he say?"

Arthur pursed his lips: "He said that the young men under him have been very peaceful recently, and the organized gangs in the West End were also frightened by Fred's death, so they have spent most of this time chewing. Ben. If someone had stolen a wallet with a Royal Navy supply receipt attached, anyone with any sense would have handed it over to Scotland Yard. So it couldn't have been the work of those West End 'gentlemen', he said. Guys who are so bold and have no brains usually hang out in the East End."

Martin thought for a while and murmured: "It sounds reasonable. After all, you just fucked Fred up some time ago. The guy who dares to commit crimes now may really think he has a long life."

While the two were talking, they suddenly heard the sound of the door being pushed and the bell ringing from behind.

A few familiar-looking gangsters walked into the tavern. Without thinking, they raised their hands and said hello to Mr. Martin: "Martin, we found the person you want. Damn it, you really don't know how good that kid is." Difficult to find. You said he had a Scottish accent. We originally thought he might be from Kyle, but later we found out that this guy is actually a single. If his pocket watch hadn't been difficult to sell, we would have really There are no clues to catch him.”

Arthur turned his head and saw that his eyes met the leading gangster.

He knew that man, it was James, the rapist who he had once pushed the barrel of a gun into his mouth.

James didn't see him at first, but when his eyes dropped and he saw Arthur, his body couldn't help but tremble three times, then he quickly took off his hat and said: "Black...Mr. Hastings? "

Martin hurriedly said: "What do I need people for? Things! Have you brought the things?"

James hurriedly took out his wallet from his trouser pocket, walked up to it and put it on the counter in three steps: "The pocket watch, business card, and list are all in there, but the money has been spent by that kid. Anyway, I also brought you the person. , it’s up to you whether to put him in jail or give him a beating.”

After saying this, James winked at the men behind him: "What are you doing standing still? Bring them up quickly!"

"Oh oh oh!"

The boss was angry, and a group of younger brothers hurriedly moved out of the way. Then, they saw a skinny monkey-like gangster walking up from behind with a torn rag stuffed in his mouth and his hands tied behind his back.

As he walked, he complained: "James, next time you do this job, this Scottish kid is quite strong, he can carry it like a donkey."

"Stop talking nonsense!" James glared, and then couldn't help but smile apologetically at Arthur: "Mr. Hastings, don't worry, he's just here and doesn't understand the rules of our industry."

Arthur didn't care at all. He just looked at the Scottish kid with his eyes widened and an expression of dissatisfaction, and asked, "You just said he was single. What's going on?"

James explained: "What you may not know is that this kid said that he walked all the way from Glasgow, Scotland to London. While walking, he was doing work on the road, but he fell into your hands not long after he arrived in London. If this kid could find a good mentor to train him after coming to London, he would be able to become a figure in the future with his skills. Of course, this figure refers to a decent gentleman like you in our industry. That’s definitely incomparable.”

"You walked from Scotland to London by yourself?" Arthur couldn't help but be a little curious when he heard this. He looked at the boy who looked to be eleven or twelve years old at most. He smiled and stepped forward and took off the rag from the kid's mouth and asked. Said: "Okay! What's your boy's name?"

But after hearing Arthur's words, the other party just snorted and turned his face away.

James saw it and couldn't help but patted the side of his face with the back of his hand: "Boy, do you know who this is? He was caught stealing and still being so violent? Do you want to go to the magistrate's court? If only I had been half as tough as you. , I’ve probably gone to see God by now!”

When the child heard James mentioning the Magistrate Court, he pursed his lips and reluctantly said his name: "Don't... don't be angry, sir. I just want to get some money... I... my name is Alan. Pinkerton.”