Shadow of great britain

In fact, people are just like trees. The more they yearn for the sunshine at high places, the more their roots will stretch into the dark underground.

——Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

London, Astley Amphitheatre.

In the current complicated situation in London, the theater area in the West End can be said to be one of the few pure places.

In order to cope with special police situations that may occur at any time, Scotland Yard ordered an increase in patrols in various public areas in London a few days ago.

In addition to the major banks in London that are currently experiencing a run, places with a large flow of people such as markets and theaters have also been placed under key surveillance.

The Astrid Amphitheater, which will soon perform the latest work "Antony" by the famous playwright and novelist Alexandre Dumas, has naturally become a top priority in monitoring.

Because according to the theater manager, tens of thousands of audiences were attracted by Alexandre Dumas's famous name and the arrival of the heroine of this scene, the famous Parisian actress Madame Dorval, the theater arranged four people for the premiere of "Antony" Thousands of tickets were sold out in just one morning.

On the underground black market in London, tickets for the premiere of "Antony" were sold at sky-high prices, and many people even claimed that they were willing to pay five pounds to see Mrs. Dorval's face.

What I have to say is that in the current turbulent situation, this is really a strange phenomenon.

There were obviously crowds of protest demonstrators everywhere, the air was filled with the smell of gunpowder, and a revolution seemed likely to break out in London at any time, but the theater business was even more prosperous than in quiet and peaceful days.

Perhaps it is because these gentlemen and ladies with a little savings want to use drama to blow away the lingering fear in their hearts, so they want to find a spiritual support for themselves in the unrealistic fantasy world.

Or maybe it's because the angry emotions of the protestors have been infected into their minds, stimulating their usually stable hormone levels, so they urgently need a drama that can help them express their emotions to calm their manic depression.

Or maybe it's because they just like the promotional poster posted by the theater for "Antony" and the line that Alexandre Dumas said through the mouth of the protagonist: "Why should I obey these laws and abide by those laws? Establish these laws No one has ever alleviated my pain or fulfilled a duty for me. All I have received in this society is injustice, and all I owe others is full of hatred, but not the slightest bit of kindness."

But no matter what the reason is, they plan to gather in Astrie tonight to enjoy this absurd love story created by French republicans that combines elements of elopement, affair and murder.

Arthur sat in the box of the Astley Amphitheater and smoked quietly. Lying in front of him was Alexandre Dumas and Louis, who were tied up by him.

It was still afternoon, and there was nothing in the theater except empty seats and staff moving the stage scenery.

Alexandre Dumas was lying on the bright red carpet of the box, his eyes bloodshot and full of the flame of revenge. The fat Frenchman's teeth are clenched tightly, and coupled with his fluffy afro, he looks like an angry lion. As long as the restraints on his body are loosened even a little bit, he will not hesitate to pounce on the lion in front of him. The spotted cheetah was looking at him with cunning and clever eyes.

Arthur and Dumas looked at each other, and the rising and falling smoke obscured his face, so that his expression could not be seen clearly. He could only see two sparkling red eyes through the smoke screen, and the sound that once sounded. A voice that was kind but now sounds extremely disgusting.

"Alexander, I know you are angry. I guess if I give you a gun now, you will kill me immediately. So, I will not give you this chance, at least before the end of tonight's show, You have to lie here honestly. Although lying like this will not be very comfortable, but... after all, this is not the first time you have done this kind of thing, and I believe you will get used to it soon. "

"Hastings!" Alexandre Dumas' eyes were splitting. "You devil! You betrayed me. Just for Louis Philippe, for a French kleptocrat, you betrayed our friendship!!!"

Arthur looked at Alexandre Dumas who was so angry that he was almost twisting and crawling on the ground, and just smiled and replied: "Alexander, I don't think so. It's just that our definition of friendship is different. You think friendship is mutual trust between friends, Provide all realistic or unrealistic help to friends without reservation.

But, you and I have different opinions. I think the way to treat a good friend is to let him live in the safest way possible. You long for a heroic ending, and you believe that sacrificing your life for the revolution and dedicating yourself wholeheartedly to Mother France is the best ending.

But in my opinion, your behavior is ridiculous and funny. You cannot fight an unprepared war or carry out an uprising with no chance of winning. What your French mother needs most is not chaos. Doesn’t it mean that what your mother most looks forward to is for her children to die, instead of watching them grow up healthily?

If you insist on hating me, well, Alexander, I promise you, this will be the last time I offend you. The reason why I stopped you at the dock today is because you are only 29 years old. Do you remember what Mr. Talleyrand said to us?

‘I have always believed that you cannot trust a person who was not a republican before the age of 30, and I also believe that you cannot trust a person who is still a republican after the age of 30. ’ I remember your birthday. Once July 24th this year passes, I will let you do whatever you want. You choose your own path, and as a friend I have tried my best for you. "

Having said this, Arthur suddenly stood up and took out a wet handkerchief from his coat pocket.

Alexandre Dumas saw Arthur approaching step by step and yelled angrily: "What do you want to do, you bastard?!"

Arthur leaned down, held Dumas' chin with one hand, and said apologetically: "I'm sorry, Alexander, I know your abilities, so I think it's best to act more safely with you."

After saying this, before Dumas could speak, Arthur covered the fat Frenchman's mouth and nose with a handkerchief.

Alexandre Dumas still wanted to struggle at first, but soon he felt his consciousness gradually blurring, and his twisting body lost strength. The sentence he read before unconsciousness was still the same French sentence he taught Arthur.

"Je te dis merde!" (May you step on shit when you go out)

Arthur smiled softly: "Alexander, I remember this sentence, which can also be translated as wishing me good luck, thank you."

Alexandre Dumas rolled his eyes, only to hear a bang, and his drooping head hit the floor hard.

"Huh..." Louis, who was lying next to Alexandre Dumas and was tied up, breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this: "It works quickly enough! It seems that you are right, this new substance called chloroform can indeed be used as an anesthetic. Alexander He slept like a little baby, everything was settled, and I finally don’t have to accompany him here to stage a thousand-mile escape to France.”

Arthur took back the unfinished pipe from the table and put it in his mouth again: "I have to say, your acting skills are good, Louis. I can guarantee that even if Mr. Vidocq himself comes here, he will be able to do it at best. I achieved the same effect as you. Maybe you should consider changing your career. You can definitely become a famous actor with world-wide reputation."

Louis turned over with difficulty and said, "Although I am indeed interested in drama, I always feel that the theater stage is still too small for me."

Arthur leaned on the chair and asked: "Then I will send you back to France?"

"France?"

Louis paused and then continued: "The stage in France is indeed much larger than that of the theater, even so big that it is beyond my ability. For now, I think the performance setting at Scotland Yard is the most suitable for me. There are so many roles for me to choose from. One day I can be a republican, tomorrow I can be a Bonapartist, and the day after tomorrow I can be a pure royalist. I say this without disrespect for those who make a living in this way. But I do think that Scotland Yard role-playing gave me far more freedom than a professional actor would be bound by the framework of a script.”

At this point, Louis twisted his stiff neck again, and he said: "Speaking of which, Arthur, shouldn't you let me go? Although, like Alexander, this is not the first time I have been tied up on camera. , but to be honest, it’s quite uncomfortable for me to stay like this.”

As soon as Louis finished speaking, he caught a glimpse of Arthur's half-smiling eyes, and a feeling that something was wrong suddenly arose in his heart: "Arthur, you..."

Arthur smiled and asked: "Two things, one good and one bad, which one do you want to hear first?"

Louis stared at Arthur for a long time, and he took a deep breath: "Bad."

"Louis, you are dismissed."

Arthur stood up and said: "As the Assistant Superintendent of the Metropolitan Police Department and the Director of the London Police Intelligence Bureau, I inform you that starting today, you have been officially expelled from the Metropolitan Police Department and the Police Intelligence Bureau. No longer enjoy our grade salary and related subsidies."

Louis was silent for a while, and then asked: "What about the good aspects?"

Arthur smiled and raised his handkerchief: "We are not firing you because you are not doing your job well, nor are we trying to hand you over to the French government. We just don't want a noble Bonaparte to be involved in the current situation." The turbulent political situation in London. In other words, Louis, you are free, congratulations."

"What the hell is this good..."

Before Louis could finish speaking, the handkerchief was already stuck to the tip of his nose.

Perhaps because he was not as big as Alexander, under the influence of the same dose of chloroform, he fell to the ground without even uttering a complete sentence.

Arthur knelt on one knee, looked at his two friends, one fat and one thin, on the ground, and stuffed the handkerchief back into his coat pocket unhurriedly.

The figure of the red devil appeared behind him. Agares looked at the scene in front of him maliciously, showing his sharp teeth and mocking viciously.

"Arthur, it seems that you will lose two good close friends today. But I admire your style very much. You are arbitrary, arrogant and unreasonable. This is what a qualified villain should do. You know why you are here Did someone give Liverpool a shot? It’s because you used to act like a mother-in-law. You should slowly learn how to act like a real man."

Arthur glanced at Agares beside him, put his hand on the door handle and replied: "Agares."

The red devil leaned against the wall with interest and asked, "What's wrong?"

"There were things I did wrong in the past."

When Agares heard this, goosebumps fell all over the floor. The Red Devil felt as if he had fallen into the center of the Arctic Circle. He was so cold that he rubbed his body hard, trying to keep himself warm.

He rubbed and cursed: "Damn it! Arthur, you bastard boy! If you could use half of your disgusting skills to figure out how to become a qualified devil contractor, maybe Baldu would be on his knees by now. My shoes were licked by my feet.”

Arthur smiled, he didn't say anything, he just opened the door and walked out.

As soon as he left the room, he saw a lady standing in front of her, wearing a brand new red dress and a simple smile typical of a country girl, teasing her son.

The little boy was wearing a newly customized tuxedo. His expression was a little embarrassed and awkward, as if he was not used to wearing such high-end clothes. In this strange and magnificent theater, what he felt was not excitement and joy, but the uneasiness and panic caused by the unfamiliar environment.

Anyone who knows Alexandre Dumas can tell the identity of this little boy at a glance. Because this kid has a shaggy hair that is almost exactly the same as his father's, you can tell at a glance that he is a fat and romantic type.

Arthur stepped forward, and the crisp sound of riding boots on the ground alerted the lady and the little boy.

The lady looked back and saw Arthur, and couldn't help showing a grateful smile: "Mr. Hastings, you are here. If you say so, Alexander also..."

Arthur nodded slightly and replied with a smile: "Miss Rabe, it's nice to see you again. If you want to see Alexander, he is right behind me in room 203. The key to the box is here. If you want to see him, now You can go there. However, don't be too surprised when you go in. He may have exhausted all his efforts in creating last night, so he is sleeping like a baby now.

You can sneak in a passionate French kiss and forgive him for abandoning his wife. You can also give him a punch or kick to vent your resentment towards this unfaithful man. How you do this is up to you. I have tried my best to arrange the best way for you to meet. The only thing I ask of you is that you don't untie him. "

"Rope?" Miss Caterina Rabe asked in confusion: "Did you tie him up?"

Arthur casually said: "Yes, but this is to treat his disease. Alexander recently had some mental illnesses in order to create "Antony" and his mood was not very stable. But don't worry, this is not something that cannot be cured. The doctor said that as long as he receives active treatment, he will recover soon. If you find that he is irritable after waking up, you can call the four police officers I arranged on the second floor to come in. They know how to keep Alexander quiet. "

When Arthur said this, he suddenly found that the little boy holding his mother's hand was blinking and staring at him intently with his big black eyes.

Seeing this, Arthur leaned down and rubbed his little face, and said with a smile: "I promised you that I would bring your father to see you. Now that I have fulfilled my promise, you should be happy, right?"

Xiao Dumas shrank behind his mother's red dress and looked at Arthur for a long time. Until he found his mother looking at him with reproachful eyes, Xiao Dumas said timidly: "Thank you... thank you, sir."

Arthur wasn't angry at all, he just asked: "Tell me, what are you going to do to your father after you see him?"

Xiao Dumas revealed half of his face from behind the red dress, and responded shyly but bravely: "I...I want to teach him a lesson."

"My dear little Alexander!" Miss Rabe couldn't help but asked after hearing this: "How can you say such a thing! How do I usually teach you at home?"

Xiao Dumas was scolded by his mother and couldn't help being frightened, but in an instant he insisted: "I... I still want to teach him a lesson, who... who made him throw me out of the study like a piece of waste paper before? He was thrown out of the house. And...and he also struggled with my mother..."

When Arthur heard this, he couldn't help laughing. He raised his hand to stop Miss Rabe's slap: "Madam, don't take it too seriously, children's words are unbridled."

Miss Rabe said with helplessness and self-blame: "Sorry, Mr. Hastings, I have no education, so I taught my children like this. You know, I am good at needlework, but I am not good at reading." Teaching children or something, I...sigh..."

Arthur shook his head and replied with a smile: "Madam, don't belittle yourself too much. In my opinion, you taught this child quite well. He must avenge himself. He is indeed very much like his father."

"Yes...really..." Miss Rabe looked a little unconfident, and she responded shyly: "I really appreciate your good words. Thank God, if he can become an outstanding person like his father in the future. As a playwright, even if I have only a fraction of his talent, I would be satisfied.”

"He will."

Arthur responded decisively, then leaned down and patted Dumas on the shoulder, and said in his ear: "If you want to teach your father a lesson, you'd better go now, because I'm afraid of him later. It’s time to wake up.”

Dumas' eyes lit up when he heard this, and even his expression was filled with aura. He clenched his fists excitedly, nodded to Arthur and said, "I will! Thank you, Mr. Hastings."

This time, his gratitude was fully felt by Arthur. This little guy was sincere.

After Xiao Dumas said these words, he rushed forward like a little rocket.

When Miss Rabe saw this, she was so frightened that she hurriedly followed: "Alexander! You can't do that to your father!"

Seeing the mother and son walking away, Arthur took out his pipe again and put it in his mouth. However, before he could light the fire, he heard the sound of messy footsteps.

Several Scotland Yard police officers rushed upstairs in a hurry. Perhaps they ran too fast and they couldn't brake in time and almost hit Arthur.

"Sir...sir! The intelligence...the intelligence is true. The group of agitators who escaped in Bristol really showed up in London. We have police officers reporting that they found that several of them just appeared in Green." They mixed with those protest groups. Minister Rowan suspects that they may be planning to replicate the 100,000-person riot in Bristol and organize people to storm the police station, prison and city hall."

Arthur glanced at them and then at the pipe in his hand.

Finally, he suppressed his craving for cigarettes and threw the pipe away.

The pipe fell to the ground and the tobacco scattered all over the floor.

"Inform Plunkett and ask him to take the Ghost Team and come to the Metropolitan Police immediately."