Shadow of great britain

The best way to convince others of an opinion is to convince them that it is their own.

——Alphonse Daudet

"Italian military uniform?"

Although Schneider often displayed below-average intelligence while at Nightingale Mansion, under normal circumstances the Foreign Office's right-hand man was anything but stupid.

If you consider the Italian military uniform and Arthur's notorious life history, it is not difficult to guess what big news he has made.

Schneider's eyes widened, and even the fork he held in his hand slipped onto the plate: "There are Italian rioters in Göttingen?"

Arthur put his arms on the table and patiently explained with his fingers crossed: "August, I think what you just said is not rigorous from the perspective of classical literature."

"What's a more rigorous statement?" Schneider's heart was in his throat.

Arthur cleared his throat and read: "Based on a responsible, prudent, and national interest attitude, I think the group of guys with suspicious identities you just mentioned should not be titled rioters. To avoid the loss of public confidence caused by unnecessary exposure of due process. But, frankly, the true identities of these people who are the subjects of our recent discussion are not shrouded in mystery, but are as disclosed before. The information leads you to assume that the person we are discussing may scare you if I mention the name of their leader outright, because in my normal conversations with you, I always use special words when referring to him. Object reference.”

"What special item?"

"Big business worth ten thousand pounds."

"Oh my God!" Schneider blurted out, shouting: "Giuseppe Garibaldi!"

Arthur looked a little guilty: "What's even more embarrassing and sorry is that from the perspective of mathematics and geodesy, the final distance between Garibaldi and his gang and the beer glass in your hand is not appropriate. Using length units commonly used in astronomical research, railway construction and commercial navigation would be an insult to the greatness and seriousness of diplomatic work and the diplomacy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The department's illustrious reputation has been established through centuries of outstanding work..."

When Schneider heard this, he suddenly became anxious. He grabbed Arthur's shoulders with both hands and shook them hard: "That's enough! Arthur, there is no need to play this game between the two of us. You know where they are, right? Talk about people. Tell the truth, can you?”

Arthur shook his head sadly, as if stating the facts requires great courage: "August, it takes courage to listen to the truth, and it takes courage to tell the truth."

"Then show your courage!" Schneider clenched his fist and shook it vigorously: "Mr. former superintendent, dispatch the mounted police, unsheath the saber, load the gunpowder, open fire, and attack!"

Arthur held his forehead with one hand and lightly knocked on the red brick wall of the cubicle with the other hand: "In a linguistic sense, people usually call this distance the next door."

When Schneider heard this, his eyes went dark, and he almost fell down on the chair behind him due to lack of blood supply to his brain.

He took a few deep breaths, and then his dizziness eased a little.

At a critical moment, the proven Assistant Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs August Schneider quickly demonstrated the reliability that his colleagues in Whitehall have praised for many years and the superior decision-making ability that combines British characteristics with German qualities.

Schneider swallowed, held Arthur's hand, and stared at the diner at the same table with his eyes, as if he wanted to dispel the other's hesitation with a firm look.

"Arthur, this is not a small matter, but it is definitely not a big matter. If Garibaldi and the others die in Italy, of course it would be best. If they are arrested in Italy, then our old friend von Cromar Sir will be responsible for solving them. But if he falls directly into Metternich's hands, although the matter may not necessarily be revealed, it will at least make it difficult for you, me and Mr. Cromar.

But fortunately, although things did not develop in the good direction we expected in advance, they did not completely develop in the bad direction. He fled to Germany, but it happened to be Hanover, and it was the small city of Göttingen. If we get rid of them here, no one will notice that several strangers died in Göttingen. "

Arthur caught a glimpse of the fierceness in Schneider's eyes, and inexplicably remembered the bombing of the Golden Lion Hotel that he had encountered when he went to Liverpool.

Although Schneider has always denied that he was not directly involved in the implementation of the bombing, if it was really him who carried out the bombing, it is estimated that Schneider probably showed a similar look when formulating the plan.

Arthur felt sick when he thought about this, and besides, he didn't want Garibaldi's life.

He had no special feelings for Young Italy, and even somewhat disliked their leader Mazzini, who shouted loud slogans.

But for Garibaldi, Arthur still liked this young sailor who was similar to him. For some reason, Arthur always feels that this sailor is very similar to Edmond Dantès, the pre-black protagonist in "The Count of Monte Cristo", and he also has many qualities that Dantès does not have.

He is a passionate young man who never has any harm in mind. Although he does things a little erratically, even if he encounters failure, his optimistic attitude cannot be changed. Whenever he sees Garibaldi thanking him profusely for the 500 pounds, Arthur's remaining conscience will be severely tested.

Although Arthur thinks he is not a moral gentleman, at least he does not do anything that harms others and does not benefit himself. He betrayed Young Italy previously to protect the royalist farmers in France. The extra 2,500 pounds he received can be regarded as a windfall at best. .

Arthur does not possess the quality of a banker who spends every penny he spends.

After all, for a person who has died once and who already has a certain social status, money does not have much worldly significance. Not to mention, although he is not very rich, he is not short of money.

He values ​​friendship with his friends more than money, because Arthur knows exactly how he lived his second life.

From a personal emotional point of view, Arthur would not have chosen to kill Garibaldi in Göttingen, even in order not to upset Dumas, who had contributed one-sixth of his resurrection target.

But he won't put these lines on the table, because he has too many ways to change Snyder's thinking.

Arthur took a deep breath and shook his head with a gloomy face: "August, just solving Garibaldi cannot solve the problem. Because there is a Mazzini in London who knows the secret. You can kill Garibaldi in Göttingen." No. But can you kill Mazzini in London?"

"Mazzini is in London?" When Schneider heard this, the hairs on the back of his hands stood up: "Damn it! When did that guy go to London?"

The news that Mazzini was in London was like a thunderbolt from the clear sky. An invisible lightning struck Schneider's head, so much so that he could see the smoke rising from his head under the illumination of a kerosene lamp.

Schneider thought of countless possibilities at once, and he was particularly worried that Mazzini and other members of Young Italy would go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to reconcile with Viscount Palmerston.

If it were anywhere else, Schneider could kill Mazzini without mercy.

But the irony was that as long as Mazzini stayed in London, he was safe.

Because no one dared to act recklessly in London, whether it was the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior, or the Royal Navy, which was lawless at sea.

With the London media's tendency to follow the wind and the gossip-loving nature of London citizens, even if the various departments in Whitehall Street did not do any dirty work, they would always fabricate a bunch of conspiracy theories based on the facts.

If they really did it, and they were targeting a well-known leader of European liberal forces like Mazzini, Schneider could submit his resignation application the next day and prepare to hire a lawyer to go to court.

As for whether Viscount Palmerston will keep him in order to maintain the reputation of the department?

Oh!

Viscount Palmerston's motto is well known in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests.

Schneider colluded with others to embezzle department funds, and also assassinated Mazzini to tarnish the reputation of the department. So he still wants Palmerston to come out and take the blame?

No kidding!

If the minister didn't kill him, it would be considered a mercy for God's sake.

The relaxing and pleasant trip to Munich has been forgotten by Schneider. At this moment, he only feels that he is trapped in hell, with immortal worms crawling all over his body and eternal fire burning under his buttocks.

Arthur looked at the despairing Schneider, until he noticed that his lips had lost the color of his blood, and then he was sure that the fire was almost done.

"But like you said, it's not that bad yet."

Arthur comforted: "August, to tell you the truth, I also thought about killing Garibaldi at first. But then I discovered that our only hope of survival rested on this young sailor."

"Huh?" Schneider raised his head suddenly: "What did you say?"

Arthur said: "Garibaldi thinks that I am a good person, an active liberal, and a generous supporter of the Italian revolution. As for the problem of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs funds not arriving as scheduled, I blamed the German company according to the original plan. The French Bank of France founded by Mr. Lyset. French Interior Minister Thiers sealed the bank suspected of being related to Young Italy after the expedition, but you and I both know that bank. There is no record of financial transactions with Young Italy in his account, but there is a large transfer with Mr. von Cromar, the cultural counselor of the Austrian Legation in Paris.”

When Schneider heard this, he breathed a sigh of relief: "I almost forgot about this incident. But there is still a danger in letting Mazzini go to London. If he tells the young minister that Italy has not received even a penny, Palmes Although Viscount Dun can’t conclude that we have misappropriated part of the money, he will definitely still have doubts in his heart.”

Arthur laughed and said: "So the role of Garibaldi is revealed here. To be honest, Auguste, before Garibaldi set off for Genoa, I gave him a sum of 500 pounds in private. Start-up funds. If not even a penny of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' funding falls into their hands, it does seem unusual, but if part of the money has already been received, then..."

Schneider looked at Arthur, his eyes slowly widened, and then he held Arthur's hand and shook it vigorously: "My dear Arthur, you are always so foresight. It seems that he is still alive. The reason. He must know Mazzini's address in London. It would be better if we forge his handwriting and send a letter to Mazzini and explain in the letter that part of the money has been intercepted by the French."

Arthur waved his hand and said: "There are more wonderful things than that. The best thing is that Mr. Garibaldi is a sailor. Unlike Mazzini, he can rely on a pen to make a living. Therefore, after the failure of the revolution, he He plans to raise funds for the revolution while running a boat, but since the Kingdom of Sardinia has signed extradition agreements with Austria, France, Prussia, Russia and other countries, his desire to stay in Europe and run a boat is almost impossible to realize..."

Schneider's eyes lit up when he heard this and said: "It's simple! It's best if we send him to America. It's best if this guy and his guys never come back for the rest of their lives."

After saying this, Schneider took out his shiny Ministry of Foreign Affairs badge from his pocket: "Did you see the lion and unicorn on it? With this, even Metternich can't ask to inspect me in Germany. "

"Of course I understand what you mean." Arthur chuckled: "But just in case, I think you'd better set off with the Duke of Sussex."

Schneider had just recovered his breath and was about to take a sip of beer, but as soon as he heard about the Duke of Sussex, the beer he just poured into his mouth sprayed all over the wall: "What? You said His Highness the Duke is also in Göttingen now?"

Arthur took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his clothes that were soaked by beer: "August, I thought you knew who was on the invitation list for the European Electromagnetics Conference."

Schneider thought anxiously for a long time, but then he thought about it. Although Arthur's idea was bad, it was still an absolutely safe option.

Although the possibility of the German police checking his carriage is slim, what if they encounter someone who is not short-sighted?

If he was following the Duke of Sussex out of the country, then as long as the other party was not blind, just by seeing the grandeur of the Duke's trip, he should know that this motorcade cannot be investigated.

Schneider thought about it, considering the feasibility of this plan.

But in Arthur's opinion, since Schneider is already considering it, he will agree sooner or later.

Therefore, the main problem at present is no longer the situation of Garibaldi and others, but another problem.

Arthur took out a German newspaper from his small bag and pushed it in front of Schneider: "Even if we solve Viscount Palmerston's suspicion, from the perspective of the police, if a person's life suddenly becomes rich, If you become rich, it is probably because you have done something illegal. Therefore, we must find a reasonable way to become rich. August, you should know that Lionel Rothschild and I. I have a good relationship with my husband and he often gives me some financial advice.”

Schneider's thoughts that had just become smoother were suddenly interrupted by Arthur's words, and his body that was shaking with fear and uneasiness calmed down. The Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had a look on his face that would only appear when spending money at Nightingale Mansion. kind smile.

"Oh, Arthur, why didn't you say something like this earlier? What did Mr. Rothschild tell you?"

"Hmm..." Arthur pretended to be troubled and pondered for a long time: "Lionel talked to me a lot, but you know that I studied history rather than economics, so I only wrote down one sentence."

"What are you talking about?" Schneider raised the corners of his mouth and leaned forward, fearing that he would miss the advice on getting rich.

Arthur raised his glass and touched it gently: "The 18th century was the century of canals, and the 19th century was the century of railways!"