Shadow of great britain

Chapter 226 London-Paris Secret Service Axis (5K4)

Arthur watched Tony hurried out of the door, and then glanced at Pinkerton beside him, who was holding a piece of ham and munching on bread. He reached out and knocked on the bar to call the bartender, and flicked his fingernails. The coin fell into the other person's arms.

"Please help me take care of my little nephew for a while. What he eats will be recorded in the account first. I will finish it later."

The bartender nodded with a smile. He nodded and bowed: "Officer Hastings, look at what you said. Am I still worried that you will default on your debt? You just transferred from Greenwich not long ago, and everyone is still thinking Where is your love?"

Arthur nodded slightly, then put on his hat and walked to the alley behind the tavern.

Before he could walk in, he heard a sound of punches and kicks.

"Damn it, aren't you going to take me back to Paris? Just for a bite to eat, is it worth working for the tyrant Louis Philippe like this?"

"It would be fine if you really took this fat man back, but not only can you not take him back, but you also deceived my feelings. Do you believe I threw you on the boat? On the boat, not only are your gender correct, but your nationality is also in line with theirs. Interested! I guarantee you will be very popular!"

"Okay, Mr. Dumas and Mr. Carter, be gentle and don't really cause problems for people. Didn't Arthur just say that? Leave them alive."

"Tom, I'm not a policeman, I'm a Royal Navy officer!"

"That's right, I'm not a policeman either, I'm a fucking French artilleryman!"

Arthur lit his cigarette and stood aside for a while, then he puffed out smoke and said, "They are still part of the French ambassador's entourage. You can just let off some steam and don't make it too difficult for me."

After hearing this, Elder finally let go of the hand holding the collar of the coconut tree, but he still didn't forget to give this guy a good kick on the butt: "Tell me, who gave you such a How dare you run wild on Scotland Yard’s territory!”

When Vidocq heard this, he just held his sore waist and leaned against the corner and said, "I fell into the gutter today, Mr. Hastings. I didn't expect you to be so unruly."

When Arthur heard this, he just sucked on his pipe: "I have never heard of any rule that stipulates that the French police can arrest people in London at will. Mr. Vidocq, when you do this, it always makes me feel that the police were It was not Britain that won the Napoleonic Wars, it was France.”

Vidocq covered his neck and took out the pipe from his skirt and put it in his mouth: "Oh, I forgot about this, you have never been on the street. But, it seems that this is indeed the case. You bunch of scholars are starting to attack. I simply don’t know how they can be more ruthless than us mud-legged people.”

Arthur took out a match from his pocket and threw it over: "How do you say this?"

Vidocq lit the fire and took a sip: "You know, those who live on the road talk about morals, and those who study talk about doctrines. Isms are much more ruthless than morals."

When Arthur heard this, he just smiled and said: "Mr. Vidocq, I think you may have misunderstood me. I don't talk about doctrines or morality."

Vidocq raised his eyebrows when he heard this: "Then what do you want to talk about? You can't just throw us into the Thames, right? Please, I just failed to kidnap someone. It was my fault this time, but we will still be able to do it next time opportunity to continue cooperation.

Aren't you very interested in my police theories? Anyway, I don’t have much to do during this period, how about I train for Scotland Yard? If it doesn't work, I can add some more money. Everyone is here to hang out and eat. You should be more flexible and don't be too rigid. "

When Arthur heard this, he nodded slightly and said: "Mr. Vidocq, your idea of ​​paid training is indeed very creative. I mentioned it to you last time. I am currently leading the criminal investigation department of Scotland Yard. If Calculating hard, we are both doing the same thing now.

But... I think maybe you can continue to add something. Although I haven't worked for a long time and I'm not as experienced as you, the advantage of reading more is here. I know that kidnapping people privately abroad is not a small matter. crime.

You don’t need to tell me that this matter was actually instigated by the French Ambassador Talleyrand, not to mention whether Mr. Talleyrand was actually involved in it. Even if he was, I guess he would not admit it. so……"

As soon as Arthur finished speaking, Elder followed in a conspiratorial tone: "Mr. Vidocq, you don't want to be sentenced to hanging, do you?"

If these words had come from someone else's mouth, Vidocq might not have cared so much. After all, this was not the first time in his life that he had been sentenced to hanging.

However, if these words came from Elder's mouth, Vidocq would have to think carefully.

After all, Mr. Vidocq has always been proud to think that he still looks pretty after putting on women's clothes.

He shivered suddenly, and then said: "It's not that, it's not that, we can still discuss it carefully if there is anything. Otherwise, let's do this, you hand over Mr. Dumas to me, and the bounty can be split 50-50. .”

When Arthur heard this, he just shook his head and said: "Mr. Vidocq, I think it's better to forget it. As far as I know, in the North American colonies, the price of an adult black slave is only twenty-five pounds."

Elder nodded and said, "That's right. If you offer thirty, maybe we can consider it."

"What did you two say?" Alexandre Dumas heard this and became furious: "You actually want to sell a strong French republican fighter for thirty pounds!"

Vacour, who was lying on the ground with a bruised nose and swollen face, suddenly said: "Mr. Dumas, don't be angry. Didn't you listen to the musical in the theater today? Jesus was only sold for thirty silver coins, and a pound contains For seven or eight grams of gold, the price is already quite high.”

Coconut Tree also covered his swollen eyes and said: "That's right, the Republicans can't sell them for thirty silver coins in Paris, and the price the security department has set for them is quite low."

Vidocq heard this and said quickly: "Mr. Hastings, we will not offer such a low price, and I don't want to hide it from you. Mr. Dumas's worth is as high as 60,000 francs. When I return to Paris to get the money, I can send you a bank acceptance draft right away. It’s up to you to choose which bank, what do you think?”

When Arthur heard this, he just smiled and shook his head: "Mr. Vidocq, you may have misunderstood me. Although I am short of money, I will not trade Alexander's head for it. I remember I mentioned it to you before. , we are preparing a literary magazine, and for a magazine, a good reputation means sales.

If news comes out at this time that I conspired with the French government to kill Alexander, how much do you think my partners and I can get back the five thousand pounds we invested in the magazine? "

When Vacourt heard this, he couldn't help but exclaimed: "Five thousand pounds? That's one hundred thousand francs."

Vidocq couldn't help but clicked his tongue when he heard this. He smiled bitterly and advised: "Listen to my advice, don't do any business after you have money, otherwise this will be my fate. After I resigned from the Grand Paris Police Department, I originally I have accumulated more than 100,000 francs of property, but at that time I ran to set up a factory, and as you saw, I now have to come back to work."

Arthur leaned against the wall and said: "So, you now know that I am not so anxious to use money. So there is no need to talk to me about Alexander's matter for the time being. If he loses him, not only will my job be gone, but also my life will be lost." The magazine also needs to be cold. So, we might as well talk about something else... Would you like something to drink, Mr. Vidocq?"

When Vidocq heard this, he instantly understood the meaning of Arthur's words. He glanced at the circle of younger brothers around him, took a puff of cigarette and let it out leisurely.

Behind the smoke curtain is Vidocq's bright smiling face.

He stepped forward and hugged Arthur's shoulders: "Brother, I knew there was always something we could talk about. On the road, in the world, in the underground society, what matters is not a fight, but a human relationship. , only through our cooperation can we achieve a win-win situation.”

Arthur also smiled and nodded: "Mr. Vidocq, you'd better have a chat with me before you take action next time. Although I have read some books, I did not graduate from Cambridge or Oxford. We University of London graduates are not that rigid.”

Vidocq laughed loudly when he heard this: "It's my fault. Alas, it's also my fault that I don't know about British universities. Now it seems that the University of London represents the highest educational level in the UK."

Under the astonished eyes of everyone, he and Arthur walked down the alley and entered the back door of the tavern. They were holding hands and chatting affectionately as if they were old friends they hadn't seen for many years. It was completely impossible to tell that they had just had a fight. Dead look.

The two came to the tavern and found a quiet place to sit down. Before Arthur could ask questions, Vidocq said, "You want to ask me about Ambassador Talleyrand, right?"

Arthur didn't hide it: "I have a department similar to the Security Department under me, but that organization is temporary. If I want to turn it into a regular one, I have to make some achievements. After all, our place is different from France. If we want to establish a The new agency has to be approved by parliament and cabinet, and I have to have something hard on my hands."

Vidocq leaned back on the chair carelessly, put one hand on the back of the chair, and blew out a smoke ring with no regard for lady etiquette: "I have the stuff here, but I don't know if it is hard or not. Ambassador Talleyrand is He's an old fox. He won't mention a single word of what words or orders Paris sent him, and those of us who work below basically can't read his mind."

If it had been before he learned of the problem in Poland, Arthur would have been dissatisfied with Vidocq's answer.

But now that he had other information to support him, all he had to do was get something symbolic from Vidocq.

After all, sometimes you don’t have to do things to get approval from your superiors. The most important thing is to let your superiors know that you are doing things.

In other words, you have to get some proof that you are actually doing something.

Arthur said: "Whether it is useful or useless documents from the French Embassy, ​​can you get me a few copies?"

Arthur was so open and honest, and Vidocq responded very readily: "I will not get the real documents, the risk is too great. If someone discovers one day, then it will not only be a problem for me that I can't survive in Paris. I'm afraid I won't be able to get along until I wait." On that day, I have to run to London and beg you to take me in like you took in Mr. Dumas."

Arthur just smiled and said: "Yes! Mr. Vidocq, Scotland Yard is very welcoming to talents like you. I know that in Paris, many people are attacking you for having problems. They say that a criminal cannot lead the police. . But in Britain, Londoners have never cared about criminal records. Instead, they like to use their prison experience as a talking point to brag about in pubs."

Arthur spoke carelessly, but Vidocq listened intently. He said half-jokingly: "Mr. Hastings, I remember what you said. But aren't you worried that I will steal your job when I come over? You Maybe you don’t know that this is the reason why I was ostracized at the Grand Paris Police Department. Speaking of the reasons for my resignation, it is actually quite ridiculous. Do you want to hear it? "

Arthur stretched out his hand to greet the waiter and ordered a glass of gin for Vidocq: "Of course, tonight is still very long, I have plenty of time."

Vidoc took a puff of cigarette: "At that time, our director's wife lost a cloak when she went out, so the director specially asked me to track down the whereabouts of the cloak. At that time, I thought, what the hell, I'm here. The reason for doing this is to investigate the case, but you also sent me to do such a trivial matter? But there was no way, this was the order of the director after all, so I sent my men to investigate a little bit.

But it was really hard to find a cloak in the huge city of Paris, and of course I found nothing. Not long after, rumors began to spread in the hall that the director had some doubts about my loyalty because of this incident. A few days later, the cloak seemed to have wings and flew into the hands of my direct boss, Director Du Plessis, who had always disliked me.

As soon as he found the cloak, he called me to the office and shook it in front of me. He also asked me what the security department did for food and why it couldn't even handle such small things? I didn't take him seriously at the time. I thought he was just a pretty guy who got high by licking women's butts, and I was the hero who caught countless criminals in the hall. What could he do to me? "

At this point, Vidocq suddenly kept puffing on his cigarette and stopped talking.

Arthur smiled and asked: "It turns out that being a pretty boy is more effective than hunting down criminals?"

"Yes!" Vidocq glared and cursed: "It turns out that those who work in bed are better than idiots like us squatting on the streets! It's really fucking France! Even if you break your leg while running, you can't do anything. Tens of thousands of cases are not as important as taking off your pants and flattering someone."

When Vidocq said this, he suddenly took a puff of cigarette, raised his eyes and asked, "Does this happen in your place?"

Arthur took a sip of tea: "This kind of thing happens everywhere, it just depends on the severity. We also have a gentleman here who is about to rely on his wife to win a judge's position with an annual income of one thousand pounds."

When Vidocq heard this, he just snorted: "It seems like your place isn't that good either."

Arthur shook his head and said: "What's even more unfortunate is that I don't like the incoming judge very much. I'm still thinking about how to get rid of him."

"This is simple." Vidocq took a sip of wine: "Your appearance is not bad. Take my advice, go and take off the skirt of the big shot's wife, and I will definitely be able to help you. After all, Du Plessis is Such a high-ranking person."

Arthur originally thought that the other party was talking to him seriously, but Vidocq almost choked him to death with one sentence.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course! Young man, don't be embarrassed. These days, you have to be thick-skinned to have enough to eat."

Vidocq stretched out his hand and pulled the elastic band of his bra: "Look, I put on women's clothes in order to make a living. But even though I wear women's clothes, my heart is still that of a man. Don't be wrong. What do I have in mind? I really scared that friend of yours today."

At this point, Vidocq spoke again: "But if you don't want to take shortcuts, there are actually other ways, but this may be a bit more troublesome."

Originally, Arthur brought up this topic just for fun and to bring the relationship closer between the two parties, but Vidocq actually planned to give him advice, which was beyond Arthur's expectation.

However, the other party is willing to mention it, and Arthur is of course willing to listen: "Please tell me, if your method is feasible, I can consider not pursuing the matter tonight."

Vidocq said: "It's not really a method, but there is a general policy for dealing with this kind of thing. Young man, you haven't been in this business for a long time, so you may not understand the truth.

Not every boss cares about whether you can do a good job, but if you can solve their personal problems for them, you will definitely be valued by them.

What belongs to the public belongs to the public, and what belongs to the public belongs to them. They have always made a clear distinction. Think about what I've been through, that damn cape, I'm your lesson. "

When Arthur heard this, he gradually came to his senses.

He thought about the complicated and confusing relationship between the Nortons and Viscount Melbourne, and suddenly felt that he could interfere in it.

Seeing his silence, Vidocq understood that this young man was probably enlightened.

He took advantage of the wine to chat with Arthur: "Let's talk about personal matters here. What you just said about stealing the embassy documents is of great importance and the risk is extremely high, so I can't obey it. But if I just want to provide you with something so that you can easily claim credit from above. I am very happy to help you. After all, as you know, I have been imprisoned repeatedly for forging official documents, so I am an expert in this area."

When Arthur heard this, he nodded slightly and said: "Something is better than nothing, but if I want to forge documents, I hope the content inside will be as ambiguous as possible, otherwise what if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs makes some strategic misjudgment because of these documents? , and if it causes any trouble, I will be the unlucky one."

"Don't worry about this. I was very prosperous in this industry back then, so I know exactly what to do."

When Vidocq said this, he changed the subject and said: "However, Mr. Hastings, although I say this a bit shamelessly, I was both beaten and bleeding tonight. Even if you don't let me take Zhong back... Mr. Ma, at least you have to allow me to get something to hand over to the superiors, right? I have to hope that I can produce some results at this London meeting, so that I can return to my position as the head of the security department."

When Arthur heard this, he also understood what Vidocq meant. He put down his tea cup and said: "I don't want outstanding talents like you to be buried on the streets of Paris, because we might not have the opportunity to do business in the future. But as you said, the risk is too high if I pay you something real.

So I'm going to get you an insignificant document, and then I'm going to write you some internal information that's irrelevant to the overall situation, and that's mixed true and false. You can imitate that format and make a document that can be fake and hand it in. What do you think? "

When Vidocq heard this, he just grinned. He stood up and held Arthur's hand: "Mr. Hastings, I didn't expect you to be such a talkative person. If I had known you were so happy, There is no need for me to fight with you."

Arthur also smiled and held his hand, and said with a warning: "If we didn't fight this, how would you find that I am easier to talk to? We have a happy cooperation, Mr. Vidocq."