Shadow of great britain

Chapter 231 To Hastings (4K4)

The days passed like water. After leaping through 1830, a year of great changes in the world and turmoil in London, the wheel of history entered 1831 covered with mud, water and smoke.

New year, new atmosphere.

In the early morning, Arthur was walking on the streets of London, looking up to the east.

There are more factory chimneys in London, and public carriages have begun to be accepted by citizens as a fashionable new form of transportation. Not far away, the London Bridge Railway Station, which has just received parliamentary construction permission, is under construction in full swing.

Arthur stood on the side of the street holding an umbrella, black and gray raindrops hitting his white gloves diagonally, and the cold north wind hung on his face. A breath of hot breath would soon turn into a burst of white mist.

Open public carriages that could accommodate seven or eight people passed by him one after another. They were packed with more than enough company employees and skilled technicians. Some people had no seats, so they had to lie down. Half of his body was hanging on the armrest of the carriage.

But even so, they don't care, because everyone takes it for granted based on the life experience passed down from generation to generation in the past few decades. In the new year, the pace of life in London will definitely become faster.

Facts have proved that they will be right.

Since the Middle Ages, the concept of time has gradually taken root in the hearts of London citizens through work.

Pocket watches are no longer an ornament used by the upper class to show their status. Its practical value has led to an increasing number of pocket watches among the middle class.

Even among the poor, there are many people with keen business sense who spend all their money to buy a pocket watch.

Perhaps for those who are not short of money, a pocket watch is just an inconspicuous gadget, but for the poor in London, an accurate pocket watch symbolizes job opportunities.

Right now, a profession called window knocking is thriving in the slums of the East Side.

Perhaps the name Window Knocker sounds confusing, but if it is called a wake-up call service, it may be easier for future generations to understand.

Starting at five o'clock every morning, window knockers will appear in every corner of the East District with a long bamboo pole, knocking on the windows from house to house, reminding the sleeping workers that whether you like it or not, it's a damn day anyway. It's about to begin.

The price of the wake-up call service is one penny per time. For a working-class family with a daily income of two to three shillings, although this service is not particularly cheap, compared with the deduction of wages for being late, it is only one penny. It is more cost-effective to prevent problems before they happen.

Arthur was leaning against the corner of the street with his pipe in his mouth, blowing out puffs of smoke from time to time in front of him.

The Red Devil was by his side, lying outside the glass showcase and looking back and forth at the dazzling array of merchandise in the store, wondering what method he should use to get Arthur to agree to buy him some fashionable novelties.

Suddenly, a familiar figure in a tuxedo uniform appeared on the street corner.

The young police officer who had just started working rubbed his fingers that were stiff from the cold, took out a briefcase from the leather bag he carried and handed it over.

"Chief, Chief Tony asked me to give this to you."

Arthur took the briefcase and asked casually: "What is it?"

"Chief Tony said it was sent to the hall by the General Post Office. It might be a letter."

Arthur opened the briefcase. Just as the little police officer said, these were indeed two letters, but the sending address was unusually far away. This letter came from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

When Arthur saw the signature on the letter, he couldn't help but have a smile on his face: "It's been so long since we set off. I thought they both died at sea. There was no news at all. Now I feel relieved."

When the young police officer heard Arthur's words, he felt a little confused, but he couldn't pry into other people's private affairs, so he could only ask for instructions: "Chief, we have surrounded the house as planned, are you ready to break in?"

Arthur waved his hand: "Don't worry, the suspect can't escape now. Before sending him to prison to eat, let him have a good sleep for the last time. I can also take advantage of this time to take a look at me." How are your old friends doing in a foreign country?"

When the young police officer heard this, he just nodded, and then whistled towards the end of the street.

As soon as the whistle sounded, it immediately attracted a few looks from the end of the street.

The little police officer waved at them, and the guys who had already put their hands into their coat pockets to take out their guns curled their lips again, and then yawned and leaned against the wall.

Arthur unfolded the letter, and the moment his eyes fell on the envelope, Darwin's voice seemed to ring in his ears.

Dear Arthur:

By the time you see this letter, it will be two months at the earliest, but given Britain's poor postal system, I tend to think it may be longer.

As you know, the Admiralty considered the Beagle's crew to be ready for sea due to their outstanding performance in pursuit on the high seas. Coupled with the impact of monsoon changes at the end of last year, the Beagle's plan to go to sea was finally advanced after collective consensus.

Since setting off from Plymouth Port in Britain in December, we have passed through the English Channel, Tenerife in Spain, and arrived at the Cape Verde Islands in Africa. After a short supply period, we plan to cross the Atlantic Ocean all the way.

During this process, we encountered a series of unfavorable weather and sea conditions and had to return twice during the voyage. However, due to the persistence of Colonel Fitzroy and the united efforts of the crew, we finally sailed for the third time. In the process, he successfully crossed the Atlantic Ocean and officially arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil a week ago.

Speaking of which, I have to mention an interesting thing to you. During the second return trip, we encountered waves of more than ten meters high on a stormy day. At that time, Elder was once hit by the waves on the deck, but fortunately, perhaps God felt that heaven was noisy enough, so he was not in a hurry to call him over to serve.

The boy clung to the trawl net on the side of the ship just before he was washed into the sea. Unfortunately, all the pornographic magazines that Elder relied on for a living were confiscated by the sea without leaving a single one.

While this guy was hanging on the Beagle's trawl net, he was shouting curses at the turbulent and dark Atlantic Ocean. Behind him were the rolling waves and the white lightning network as thick as a giant python.

my Lord! It's a pity that the paints and brushes of our ship's painter were also washed overboard at that time. Otherwise, if this painting was sent back to London, it would definitely become an immortal painting handed down from generation to generation. I even held this painting on the mast at that time. I've thought of a name. What do you think of "The Monkey and the Sea"?

Hahaha, let’s not make this joke anymore. If I let Elder know about it later, he will definitely have to come and pull my hair out again. I must have eaten too much rotten food on the ship these days, and my hair loss is much more serious than usual. Of course, Elder, the bastard, is also responsible for my hair loss.

It's a good thing you didn't come to be a naturalist on the ship, otherwise you would have understood what it was like for seventy or eighty men to live on a small boat. It's better when there's work to do, but when there's no work to do, they can come up with any fucking game for you.

When everyone first got on the ship, it was relatively normal. At that time, playing cards or gambling on cans and so on. But a month later, gambling with money and cans could no longer satisfy them, and these idiots actually started competing to pull hair and leg hair. Elder had bad luck for a while, and his entire leg was pulled out and was as smooth as a Greek marble column.

However, although the days on the ship were quite boring, it was still quite interesting during the scientific investigation when the ship was docked. We just made our first exploration into the Amazon jungle last week, and saw many fascinating scenery and flora and fauna that we have never seen in Europe. Maybe next time I write to you, I can consider sending you some scientific specimens that I made myself.

Hmm... Actually there is another thing, I don't know whether to talk about it or not. When we were investigating the waters near Argentina, we discovered six different species of birds on two adjacent islands. God’s creation is really amazing, isn’t it? Haha, maybe I'm thinking a little too much, I always think this might be a little too wonderful.

No matter what, God bless you, Arthur. Perhaps what you are doing now needs God's care more than the scientific expedition of the Beagle.

Your friend, Charles Darwin.

Written in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on February 25, 1831.

Arthur looked at the letter in his hand with an unstoppable smile on his face.

He murmured: "Charles, this is nothing. But you are right, maybe I need God's blessing more now. Only if he bless me, can I have enough strength when you return from your voyage." Go bless you.”

After Arthur said this, he turned to the next page of the letter.

However, this time, before his eyes fell on the letter, there seemed to be a chattering monkey sounding in his ears.

Greetings first to Oxford, then to Cambridge, and finally to my best friend Mr. Arthur Hastings and my beloved alma mater:

call! I finally went to sea, and now I want everyone to see what the strength of the Royal Navy is! It’s only a few years, and I will definitely be grateful for this experience in the last days of my life! Arthur, wait and see, when I return to London, you may have to call me Sir Elder!

damn it! Arthur, although I know that the fate of the Royal Navy is to die at sea, does my fate come too soon?

What a son of a bitch of the Atlantic, you weren't there when I was about to be washed overboard, so you may not have known how high the waves were on that donkey day, one wave after another, like a fucking mad dog.

I used to be jealous of those old captains in the Royal Navy. How could they earn so many pounds after staying at sea for decades?

But now it seems that all that money was exchanged for his fucking life. Damn it, the Admiralty didn’t know how to approve a big ship for us. The Beagle looked like an ant in front of those big waves! It had only been at sea for a few months, and almost all the sailors on the ship were injured. Even my leg was seriously injured.

Damn it, the light beer on the ship has been drunk in the past two days, so I don’t know what to do tonight.

When I was in Cape Verde two days ago, I exchanged poker with the local natives for an ivory. At the time, I thought I was quite profitable, but now it seems that this is simply the stupidest thing I have ever done in my life. transaction. I don't even have to play cards at night. I'm really going crazy with this kind of life.

Hahaha, I sold the ivory in Bahia, I knew I was a genius! Arthur, when I return to London from my voyage, perhaps you, Scotland Yard, should consider making me head of procurement.

Fuck it! Arthur, I let two bitches cheat on me in Rio de Janeiro! I didn’t get a penny from the ivory sale! Damn it, I thought fairy dance was an exclusive service in London. Why is this industry also engaged in Brazil? Damn it, don't let me catch those little bastards, otherwise I will definitely want them to look good. Alas, Arthur, if only you were in Brazil, with your ability you would definitely be able to help me get my money back.

Arthur, I'm so fucked! Today I saw a twenty-foot-long giant python in the Amazon jungle. I used to think that Greek myths were all lies, but now it seems that the son of Medusa may be alive in the Amazon rain forest. Do you think if I brought one of these back to London, would someone pay a high price for it?

Arthur, I think I must give you a piece of advice. The descendants of Medusa seem to have generally bad tempers. Maybe I should have brought Alexander with me when I set out. My small body would probably be swallowed by it in one bite, but Alexander's size might allow him to struggle for a while. Do you think there is a possibility that Alexander agreed to be tied to a tree by me as a bait, and after capturing Medusa, he and I would split the world? What do you think?

Hahaha, those idiots actually said that there are cannibals in the Amazon jungle. How old is it? Some people actually believe this lie.

Arthur's eyes glanced at Elder's letter. This top student in the Department of Classical Literature was obviously not as logical as Darwin. He wrote wherever he thought based on his own interests. Although he did not inherit the rigor of the classical school, he did Quite romantic and casual.

But what worried Arthur most was the worrying location where Elder stopped writing.

According to the consistent logical order and law of cause and effect in his writing, something will definitely happen after Elder laughs at the cannibals.

The only question now is whether cannibals prefer barbecue or sashimi, and whether this top student at the University of London will go to heaven or hell.

Arthur shook his head, trying to clear his head.

Although he didn't mind praying for Elder, if something happened, Elder would probably have already digested it by now.

He put the letter in his arms, put away his umbrella, and walked towards the house at the end of the street through the early morning mist.

When the plainclothes detectives on standby saw him coming, they all pressed their hands on the flintlock pistols in their arms.

Only a few knocks on the door were heard.

The door of the house at the end of the street was opened, and what appeared behind the door was a middle-aged man wearing slippers and pajamas with slightly swollen eyes.

Arthur took a look at his figure and asked, "Is this Mr. Bernie Harrison?"

The man was stunned for a moment when he heard this, and then nodded slowly.

Arthur took out a piece of light yellow paper from his arms and showed it in front of him.

"Arthur Hastings, Head of Criminal Investigation, Greater Metropolitan Police, you are suspected of breaching a felony count of murder and attempting to bribe the coroner to alter the results of the autopsy, to safeguard In order to protect the personal and property safety of the general public in London and to promote justice, I declare that you have now been officially arrested. You have the right to remain silent until the results of the secondary toxicity test on the body organized by the Royal Society are released, but every word you say Everything you say will be used as evidence in court.”

Tap the screen to use advanced tools Tip: You can use left and right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.

You'll Also Like