Shadow of great britain

As the conversation progressed, a misty drizzle began to fall on the streets of London.

Through the mist of water vapor and the glass window covered with water droplets, one can only vaguely see the movement of changing glasses and the brisk movements of the corners of the mouth in the small booths of the restaurant.

While Arthur and Talleyrand were playing cards, they asked: "So, the reason why you were able to make a fortune from an underappreciated aristocratic family was all because of the support of Madame Du Barry? How did you do it? To capture the lady who enchanted Louis XV?"

Although he was already sixty years old, Talleyrand still maintained his former ambitions when talking about his romantic affairs. The old man seemed very proud of his ability to deal with many ladies.

"What else could I rely on? As you can see, handsome appearance, elegant manners, a good tongue that can make ladies dizzy, and I was younger than I am now. Arthur , my dear little brother, it’s not that difficult to get ladies to dedicate themselves to you, as long as you can make a detailed analysis of them before taking action.”

Arthur threw a card: "As carefully as you analyzed the Russians?"

"No."

Talleyrand said seriously: "I analyze the ladies more carefully than I analyze the Russians. The Russians can rely on their high latitude to attack all over the Eurasian continent, and Madame Dubary also has this ability in France's upper-class social circle. Geographical advantage. She is familiar with everyone around the king, and many of the people who can affect the destiny of France are her relatives, friends and even suitors. Capturing her heart gives me a greater sense of accomplishment than conquering Russia."

When Agares heard this, he couldn't help but hold his stomach and laugh. The sound of his fangs rubbing together was like a chainsaw cutting wood.

Arthur frowned slightly. He glanced at the red devil who did not follow social etiquette, and asked casually: "Isn't your statement an exaggeration?"

"I'm not exaggerating at all."

Talleyrand lit the cigar and took a sip, slowly savoring the aftertaste of the smoke in his mouth: "The sense of accomplishment mainly comes from the comparison of strengths between the two parties when achieving the goal. Madame Dubary was a star in the entire Paris social circle, and at that time I have nothing but the noble surname "Perigord".

Neither my family nor my parents cared about me. You may not know that in the first ten years of my life, the closest I got to my father was at the coronation ceremony of Louis XVI. I was the spectator while he held the flask of holy oil for the new king. Louis XVIII, who was still a prince at the time, made fun of me at the coronation. He said to others: 'This guy is at most a member of the Périgord family, not a Périgord family member. ’”

When Arthur heard this, he couldn't help but sympathized: "Didn't you fight back against him? If I were there, I would probably refute him."

"Then I would like to thank you for speaking up."

Talleyrand laughed and said: "However, just because he is uneducated does not mean that I am uneducated. Moreover, although his words are unpleasant, they are not entirely wrong."

Having said this, Talleyrand patted his lame leg as if mocking himself.

"See this? This lameness has been with me since I was two years old when I fell down a building and my parents didn't know about it until months later.

Being crippled meant that I could not be a soldier or a respectable heir to the House of Périgord. So they later sent me to the seminary to disinherit me by making me a priest. I am indeed proud of the name Périgord, but I must also admit that for a long time I was not considered a member of the Périgord family.

Because of this, I want to stand out more and more. I have always said that although I am a noble, I am different from those despicable nobles. Everything I have is earned through my own efforts, my hands and my lameness.

I was struggling to find a way to make myself prosperous until I read Voltaire's book and learned about Voltaire's experience. I was surprised to find that this famous figure in Europe turned out to have the same sarcastic personality as me, but he could always use his wonderful language to make everyone accept it.

When Voltaire was young, he was sent to the Bastille for writing a poem that satirized the regent, the Duke of Orléans. When he was released, the first words he said to the regent were: 'I am grateful for the hospitality of His Majesty the King. , I am really grateful for providing me with food and accommodation, but next time I will just provide food and accommodation. I beg Your Highness not to provide accommodation anymore! ’

His fortune began with his relationship with Madame Châtelet. Although Voltaire was a bit acerbic, it did not prevent Madame Châtelet from liking this talented young man. Although the two of them often quarreled, and even quarreled in English in order not to be understood by the neighbors, this did not affect their relationship from beginning to end.

Voltaire also relied on this relationship to rise above the French social circle, and his works and sharp tongue soon became widely spread in Europe. Frederick II of Prussia offered Voltaire an annual salary of 20,000 livres for his statement that he was neither holy, nor Roman, nor imperial.

Later, when he discovered that Voltaire was illegally reselling Prussian national debt, he just smiled and said, "Our philosopher friend is really not a philosopher when it comes to money," and exposed the matter. It's over. "

Talleyrand was slightly drunk, with some wine dizziness hanging on his cheeks: "When I discovered Voltaire's experience, I was like a treasure. He was also a leader of the Enlightenment, and he also wanted to stand out, so why did he go there? What if I wanted to be the Rousseau who lived a difficult life instead of the Voltaire who was happy? So, from that time on, I decided to copy Voltaire’s successful path. Of course, I didn’t have Voltaire’s ability to create literary works. So I can only work more on this lip service.”

Arthur added more wine for Talleyrand: "Judging from the results, your efforts in lip service are obviously successful."

Talleyrand laughed and replied: "No, not only because of my efforts, but also because Madame Dubary is indeed a very charming lady. She is very kind and likes to find the joy of life. To a certain extent She said that her feelings for me were not like a lover, but more like an older woman's care and curiosity for a reckless brat.

I still remember she once asked me: ‘Why are you always depressed? Is it bad luck or are you being modest? ’

At that time, I had just graduated from the seminary but was struggling to get ahead. I told her: 'It is much easier to find a woman in Paris than to find a convent. ’

Maybe she was moved by my depressed mood, or maybe she liked my Voltairean answer. So not long after, she helped me find a position as a monastery bishop. A generous salary and a lot of free time give me the opportunity to escape from boring and useless mundane tasks and have more time to devote myself to social situations.

It was by virtue of this status as a bishop that I was able to attend various large social gatherings and meet many people who would be helpful to me in the future. I was even lucky enough to get to know Mr. Voltaire himself, who returned to Paris to spend his final years, and I learned a lot of wisecracking lessons from him.

My only regret is that I was unable to protect Madame Du Barry, my lucky starting point, during the Revolution. She is innocent and kind, but lacks understanding of politics and human nature, which ultimately leads her to the guillotine of the Revolution. "

Arthur smiled when he heard this and asked: "You seem to miss that old era very much."

Talleyrand put one hand on the back of the chair and gently swayed the wine glass: "Young people like you will never understand this idea. In my opinion, people who did not live near 1789 do not know life. What does fun mean? The society at that time still retained many traditions of ancient Europe, but the Great Revolution that came later destroyed all of them.

People at that time still had an orthodox aristocratic demeanor, but for the so-called politicians later on, I can no longer find any other adjectives for them except hooligans, gangsters, thieves, robbers and fraudsters. In fact, many of them have actually done those jobs. "

When Arthur heard this, he suddenly remembered something. He read word for word: "If I had been born twenty years earlier, then I would have been a true old monarchist and lived my life peacefully. If I had been born later, In twenty years, then I will be a firm adherent of the new trend of thought and vow to create a new era. Unfortunately, I was born in a present where the old and the new are intertwined, so I can only stand here and hold the iron wheel of the world. , so that the European continent will not fall into another derailment disaster."

Talleyrand couldn't help but his eyes lit up when he heard this, and his movements of shaking the wine glass stopped.

He was silent for a while, then smiled with relief: "Boy, if you were born in France more than half a century ago, you would definitely be the second Voltaire. But looking back, if you were born in France half a century ago, In post-England, there's nothing wrong with being your Arthur Hastings.

As you said, at least you can become a firm adherent of the new trend of thought without any burden and vow to create a new era.

Huh... maybe I'm really old, and I always like to talk about things. The older I get, the more I like to miss the past. It seems that I really can’t keep up with the pace of young people. Of course, I have no interest in continuing to associate with thieves, robbers, and fraudsters.

You can solve the problem with a few wisecracks with the nobles, but you have to use a knife to deal with these gangsters. Therefore, it is better to leave this matter to energetic young people like you. "

After Talleyrand said this, he slowly stood up and took off his coat from the coat rack. While putting on his hat, he said: "I will send someone to deliver what you want the next day. But Pay attention, figure out where your strategic boundaries are before taking action. You are still young, and you are not at the end of your rope. You don't need to risk your life unless you have to.

Boy, I have to say, you are very lucky. With your status, if you were born twenty years ago, you would never have the chance to climb to where you are now, let alone go further. But now times have changed, and the entry threshold for the upper class has been lowered from the unappreciated younger sons of aristocratic families to aspiring young people like you. "

Arthur stood up and took off his hat to express his thanks: "What's even more fortunate is that although I didn't meet Voltaire, I got a few words of advice from you."

Talleyrand just laughed a few times when he heard this. The old man winked playfully and said: "Young man, it usually doesn't work when others put a high hat on me. But this time is an exception. It can be regarded as a skill in the art of speaking." To sit alongside Voltaire is the greatest compliment to me."

After saying this, the old lame man pushed open the door of the cubicle and walked out with his cane.

He was clearly in a good mood, which was evident from the tune he was humming.

"Plaisir D'Amour", also called "The Joy of Love".

This short, catchy, elegant and light secular romance was very popular in France in the 18th century.

Arthur poured a cup of tea, looked at the drizzle outside the window, and recalled this exotic ditty from Paris. He couldn't help but raise his fingertips and tap the table in time with the rhythm.

It was as if he could glimpse the past century in these brief notes.

You can smell the fragrance of wheat waves in the French rice fields and see the sparkling waves on the banks of the Seine River in the evening sun.

France, what kind of country is that?

Paris, what kind of city is that?

The motherland of Alexandre Dumas, his hometown.

There are also many bright stars such as Balzac and Hugo.

If you have the chance, maybe you should visit there and take a trip?

Of course, the premise is that you don't encounter thieves, robbers, gangsters, and gangsters. However, Mr. Vidocq can be temporarily excluded from this position. After all, we still need to exchange police experience with him.

Just as Arthur was wandering around the world, his thoughts drifted across the English Channel.

The door of the cubicle was pushed open again.

Before I saw the person, I heard his voice first.

"Arthur, my brother, you are finally back from Liverpool! You have no idea how rude those monkeys in the House of Commons are. They dare to offend the proud and outstanding Mr. Benjamin Disraeli!"

Still wearing the classic red dress, green vest, yellow breeches and stockings, Disraeli threw his cane towards the corner of the room, took off his coat and hat, and was ready to talk to Arthur.

Unexpectedly, Arthur spoke first and said: "Benjamin, you don't need to introduce the specific situation to me. It has been covered in newspapers everywhere. I have to admit that you did it. Your debut in the House of Commons was indeed an explosion."

"Have you seen it all?" Disraeli put his hat on the table and cursed: "Those guys are really uncultured, I..."

Arthur calmly took a sip of tea and replied lightly: "Benjamin, what kind of madness have you got? If the MPs are well-educated, how could they elect senators? Have you forgotten? The House of Commons is It is a place specially used to export hateful views and carry out personal attacks to British scoundrels. This is an important part of Britain's way of mediating social conflicts."

Disraeli exclaimed: "Can't these scoundrels be let out?"

"Let it out?"

Arthur put down the tea cup and said: "Benjamin, do you think London's public security is very good? As a superintendent of Scotland Yard, I must inform you that the police officers are not ready to open their arms to welcome more than 600 people with judicial powers. Immunity scoundrels are coming in. If you insist on letting them out, I suggest you go to Regent's Park and contact London Zoo, they are the experts in this regard."

"Alas..." Disraeli sighed, raised his arms and looked at the ceiling and shouted: "Oh my God! Did I spend so much time just to sit in the lower house and quarrel with these scoundrels? ?”

Regarding Mr. Disraeli's complaint, Arthur simply commented: "If you don't want to do this, you can still go to court and quarrel with another gang of scoundrels. The London District Attorney's Office is about to be established. If I can be lucky If you join it, you will definitely need to recruit some direct prosecutors. Benjamin, if I remember correctly, your lawyer's qualification has not been canceled yet, right?"

"Lawyer? Let's forget it. I've quit working long ago."

After saying this, Disraeli pulled out the chair and sat down carelessly, but before he could sit down, he noticed the wine bottle on the table.

Mr. Congressman lowered his head and squinted his eyes, and immediately exclaimed: "Hennessy's V.S.O.P? When did you drink such high-end stuff?"

Arthur picked up the tablecloth and wiped his mouth: "If I were alone, I would definitely not drink such a high-end drink. But since I am dining with Mr. Congressman, I naturally have to match the Congressman's high standards. "

Upon hearing this, Disraeli showed a meaningful smile to Arthur: "It seems that this trip to Liverpool has made you quite tired?"

“What’s the difference between happiness and bitterness in working for the country and the government?”

Arthur said: "From the moment I joined Scotland Yard, I knew that I would dedicate my life to this ordinary but great cause."

Disraeli poured a glass of wine and tasted it: "If I had your ability to tell lies with open eyes, I wouldn't have gotten into a fight with them when I gave a speech in the House of Commons."

Seeing that the atmosphere was about the same, Arthur nodded to Disraeli in a moderate way: "Speaking of which, has your work in the Parliament been going well recently? Did Sir Peel ask you to submit any bills?"

"Well... the bill must have been submitted. But I have just joined the parliament not long ago, so I spend most of my time studying. Moreover, you are mistaken. Although Sir Peel is the leader of the party, this does not mean that I just have to listen to him, the relationship within the Tory Party is more complicated than you think."

Arthur leaned forward and asked, "How do you say this?"

Disraeli leaned back in his chair and spoke eloquently: "In short, the Tory Party has actually split into four factions. They are the liberals who adhere to the political views of the deceased former Prime Minister Sir Canning. , the moderates led by Lord Peel, the conservatives led by the Duke of Wellington, and the extremes led by the Duke of Newcastle, former Lord Chancellor Earl Eldon and others.

Now, most of the liberals had actually gone over to the Whigs. Most of the remaining small group did not listen to Sir Peel's orders, but voted freely according to their own political opinions. As for the extremists, although they still follow Sir Peel's call, as long as the Duke of Newcastle and others give you a little wink, they will immediately make a 180-degree change for you.

Therefore, in fact, the only people Sir Peel can control at present are the moderates and the Duke of Wellington's conservatives. And the reason why I was elected was entirely dependent on the help of Earl Lyndhurst, so I naturally have to respect his opinions in most cases. If Earl Lyndhurst and Sir Peel have different views, then I can only express my apologies to Sir Peel. "

Arthur heard this and asked instead: "Then... did you submit the bill that you planned to submit to the House of Commons to impeach Viscount Palmerston for his position on the Polish issue?"