Shadow of great britain

In Fleet Street, London, Arthur, who had a day off today, came to the editorial office to kill time as usual.

If today's newsroom is different than in the past, it is that there is one more wire leading to the newsroom.

It ran from the London Police Intelligence Bureau at Scotland Yard to Fleet Street, and from Fleet Street to the private laboratory of Mr. Wheatstone, the new Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of London.

In just a blink of an eye, AssHole was able to successfully complete remote communication with Mr. Wheatstone.

If you have to find a famous quote to praise this great new invention, then the best explanation is Mr. Wheatstone's sentence: "Damn it! I hate electromagnetism!"

Of course, Mr. Wheatstone was not the only one who also loved and hated this new invention. There were also several police stations that also installed wired telegraph machines and the telegraph specialists of the Confidential Intelligence Section of the Police Intelligence Bureau.

Although this new invention did make the speed of message transmission faster, facing the ultra-thick code book that required skilled memorization, the police officers could only secretly 'greet' the inventor of this new technology in private.

Of course, not all police officers hate this new technology.

For the Mountie correspondent who had retired from the cavalry, there was no new thing in the world more worthy of praise than the wire telegraph.

They all agreed that Mr. Wheatstone deserved this year's Copley Medal from the Royal Society, and hoped that he could continue his efforts to reduce the cost of this technology as soon as possible.

If every police station in London is equipped with such a device in the future, they will no longer have to ride in the wind and rain.

Dumas yawned and pushed open the door of the editing room. He looked up and saw Arthur working at his desk.

He casually threw his leather bag on the sofa chair and made a cup of tea leisurely: "I thought my energy was strong enough, but I didn't expect you to be more exaggerated than me. But I have never seen someone like you before. It’s not that I haven’t seen it before, but what’s different from you is that you are proactive, while he is passive and forced by debt.”

Arthur straightened his back and stretched slightly: "So, who are you talking about?"

Alexandre Dumas took a sip of tea and said, "You have read his book, the one that Mr. Vidocq brought to me before."

"Honoré Balzac?" Arthur bit his pen and said, "I know he is very diligent, but I don't know that he is diligent because of his debts."

"Then what do you think he is for?"

"Hmm..." Arthur thought for a moment: "I thought he just loved it."

"Hahaha! You think of him too noble."

Alexandre Dumas almost spit out the tea in his mouth with laughter: "Who would write so hard if it wasn't because of debts? If Balzac's printing factory and type foundry had continued to operate, or if his investment had not lost money, Maybe by now he would already have a virtuous wife, two or three children, and a happy life with several hot lovers. How could he write in the bitter night until dawn every day, even if he is sleepy? Days when you have to drink a few cups of coffee to stay awake even if you want to sleep? He is just a poor guy."

When Arthur heard this, his expression turned strange.

"Alexander, it sounds like you have a problem with him?"

"A holiday? Arthur, you are going too far."

Arthur asked: "Isn't it?"

Dumas picked up a bagel and threw it into his mouth: "Who is Balzac? He deserves to have a relationship with me? Before I came to London, I was the hottest new drama star in Paris. My "Henry III and His Life" When "The Court" premiered in Paris, from the fourth act to the end, it was not just a success, but a climax that continued to rise, intoxicating everyone present.

When the actors took their curtain call, everyone stood up and applauded, and the applause lasted for a full three minutes. After the performance, Louis Philippe, who was the Duke of Orleans at the time, also sent someone to congratulate me. Although Louis Philippe is not a thing, he still has a very good taste in drama.

And what happens after I come to London? I made a comeback with The Count of Monte Cristo. In just one year, I became the most eye-catching leading fashion novelist in Britain.

As for Balzac, he was a failure in life. A person is like his book, his life experience is a "human comedy", and he is full of fun. However, this guy actually dared to talk nonsense to me at a literary salon, saying: 'When my talents are exhausted, I will write screenplays. ’

He thinks that novels are very advanced, but in my opinion, drama is the most advanced form of expression among all literary categories. I don’t write novels not because I can’t write, but because I think drama is a more difficult challenge. You see, after I came to London, I tried my best, and I immediately made some achievements in novels? "

When Arthur heard this, he finally understood what was going on.

It cannot be said that there is any quarrel between Alexandre Dumas and Balzac. Listening to his tone, it is almost close to a feud.

Arthur thought of the letter he had just received this morning, and suddenly he didn't know how to organize the words.

However, his silence made Alexandre Dumas realize something was wrong.

"Arthur, what's wrong with you? It's not like you that your sharp teeth and sharp mouth would stop at a place like this!"

Arthur lit his pipe and took a sip. He did not directly answer Dumas's question, but began to guide him step by step.

"Alexander, although I didn't tell you directly, you should know that Mr. Vidoc and I have maintained long-term correspondence. In fact, this kind of correspondence is not limited to the exchange of information between friends, but also serves as two British and French criminal intelligence The role of department heads in exchanging new criminal techniques and exchanging information on transnational dangerous individuals.

Of course, the conversations between us are not always formal, and we often talk about some things that are not there. Although I don't like to actively inquire into other people's private lives, you know, although Mr. Vidocq is generally a person who keeps secrets, he is also very talkative when it comes to non-confidential information. Sometimes this talkativeness is even close to Such a big mouth as Mr. Hugo. "

When Alexandre Dumas heard this, he felt even more unhappy: "You even know about Hugo's big mouth? So, Vidocq should have also told you about Balzac's petty ways, right?"

"Well... in a sense, I know far more than this. And Hugo's big mouth, Balzac's small eyes, and what I'm going to talk about are almost inextricably linked. together."

"What on earth do you know?!"

Arthur took out the lawyer's letter sent from Paris and the letterhead attached by Vidocq from his desk.

"Mr. Vidocq told me in his letter that Marie Dorval, the most popular actress in Paris, has left for London to star in your new play "Antony." I inquired from the Astley Theater The news I received also verified this, and the theater manager also told me that it was at your suggestion that they spent a lot of money to invite this talented young lady from Paris.

Of course, if it is just a purely commercial behavior, there is nothing to say. You have worked in theaters in Paris for a long time, as director, stage manager, and stage assistant. I trust your professional judgment in this regard.

However, it is a pity that before you decided to do this, you did not assess its legal risks, nor did you consult Mr. Disraeli, a professional lawyer in our editorial department, nor did you inform other shareholders that Miss Doval was The tumultuous and complicated personal relationships in Parisian literary circles. "

As one of the most influential figures in Parisian literary circles, Alexandre Dumas was well aware of Madame Dorval's personal relationship.

But for a young Scotland Yard policeman like Arthur, who lived an ordinary life and only got shot once in a while, the information revealed in Vidocq's letter was a real eye-opener for him.

When Madame Dorval first came to Paris, she was just an actress of the lowest rank. According to Vidocq, she was a woman with a melancholy expression, a square face, a high forehead, a slender nose, a voluptuous mouth, and black curls scattered around her face.

Perhaps it was her big dark eyes that impressed the director. After hesitating for a while, she finally became a hit in Paris with her role in "Thirty Years or a Gambler's Life."

After that, Mrs. Dorval, who was very clever, took full advantage of her rising status and moved her residence to the corner of Rue Melais leading to Rue Saint-Martin.

She knew that poor intellectuals who aspired to make a name for themselves in Paris gathered around here.

It was through this location advantage that she got acquainted with many theater industry practitioners who are now famous or will be famous in the future, such as serial writers Soulier, Saint-Beuve, Hugo, and composer Pisini. Taste developed some romantic relationships with some of them, and most of those who didn't have romantic relationships formed friendships.

In this way, from then on, Madame Dorval had endless new plays to perform.

And when Madame Dorval was making waves in Paris, Alexandre Dumas was just a little-known young man. But even though the fat man was not famous yet, Mrs. Dorval still tried her best to show his kindness to Alexandre Dumas.

Alexandre Dumas, who was deeply honored by this, was naturally quite happy to introduce his writer friends to this lovely and kind lady.

Among the friends introduced by Alexandre Dumas, a playwright with golden curly hair and an aristocratic background almost killed Mrs. Dorval.

This is Alfred de Vigny, one of the three giants of Parisian dramatists.

Although Pooh is married, he is obviously not on good terms with his British wife who holds national prejudices and is unwilling to learn French.

And Doval also fell in love at first sight with this playwright who was both talented and good-looking.

All in all, they got involved.

The two have a close relationship and spend almost every night together.

But the problem is that both Doval and Pooh have a character flaw - they are extremely suspicious.

Winnie couldn't even bear to have Doval's arm touched by others, while Doval kept asking the other person to be loyal to him.

However, they still do not believe that their lovers can keep their promises.

The result of this is that the two fall into an endless cycle of mutual suspicion - betrayal in revenge for the other's disloyalty - discovering the betrayal of the other and then continuing to betray as revenge.

This is why there was a burst of laughter in the theater when Madame Dorval shouted, ‘Your love has kept me safe’ in Victor Hugo’s Marion de Lorme.

This situation further aggravated Pooh's suspicion and desire for control. He would even include private goods in the play and preach to Doval on the stage through the mouths of the characters in the play.

——Madam, I tell you, women should no longer trust people like us. Poets' emotions are erratic, and it's best not to love them. To be honest, poets don’t love anyone, they are all selfish.

Of course, Dorval didn't listen.

Even if she didn't love the poet, she would fall in love with something else.

Although Pooh is suspicious by nature and always monitors those who may be courting his lover, his vigilance is in vain. If a man is rejected by Doval, it can only mean that she is not happy with it.

Among the many enthusiastic suitors of Dorval, there is a fat man who has been harboring evil intentions for a long time, but has never dared to reveal his love before. I will not name him specifically.

It is said that this fat man once secretly sent letters to Madame Dorval's house at night.

——Beautiful neighbor, from now until midnight, I will spend two miserable hours alone. Are you at home? Can I go see you and ask for a cup of tea? I assure you, I just want to kiss your beautiful hand and dare not think of anything else.

After that night, Dumas and Dorval met by chance at the theater, had meals together, and visited each other more often.

Maybe the fat man felt guilty after doing these things and felt sorry for his friend Pooh, so he pretended to treat Pooh, who was still in the dark, to a meal and held his hand.

"Dear Alfred.

There are two things I must tell you: you are one of the most outstanding friends I have ever made; there are only three poets in the world today, Lamartine, you and Hugo.

If I do something that makes you even a little bit uncomfortable, it's not your fault, it's because I'm not a thing. "

When Arthur saw this place before, he couldn't help but feel lucky that he was not married or had a lover.

Having said that, the relationship between Alexandre Dumas and Dorval would have gradually faded as he fled to London.

But as this guy's wanted order in France was canceled by Talleyrand's order, and as his status in the London literary world continued to rise, he began to think about this old lover in Paris again.

The big-mouthed Hugo, after learning that Dorval was about to go to London, accidentally revealed Alexandre Dumas's good deeds to Balzac during the chat.

The vindictive Balzac stabbed Pooh with one blow.

As for the furious Winnie, she immediately announced that she would draw a clear line with Alexandre Dumas. At the same time, she also used her influence in the Paris drama circle to put pressure on Dorval and asked her not to go to London.

As for Dorval, this woman just wants to make Pooh angry, and she doesn't care about warnings or not. Even if she doesn't play Pooh, the play starring her will still have to be scheduled until next year.

The furious Pooh spent a lot of money to start collecting dirt on Alexandre Dumas in Paris.

As the saying goes, nothing is difficult in the world, only those who are willing can do it.

He was so angry that he really picked out a heavyweight from Alexandre Dumas's dark history.