In the early morning, the wheels make a splash as they drive through the streets of Westminster.

Standing on the streets of Whitehall in the fog and rain, Arthur looked up to see countless gentlemen and ladies walking on the road with umbrellas.

He exhaled a white breath, took off his gloves, and was about to push open the door of the Metropolitan Police, but before he could step through the door, he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Arthur?"

Arthur turned his head to look, and behind him stood an old gentleman with leather gloves and a black umbrella, with a strong physique, and a strong spirit.

Arthur looked at the old gentleman with gray sideburns, and couldn't help but show a smile on his face: "Mr. Judge? Got off work so early today? ”

"It's not that I leave work early, it's that I'm retired." The magistrate laughed and said, "Congratulations, Arthur, I have finally said goodbye to that damn court, and I can go back to the country with my retirement annuity and enjoy my life." ”

Arthur laughed, "This is indeed a thing to congratulate. I have to say, I really envy your days. There are not many departments that can enjoy this kind of pension, and I can only pray to God now that by the time I retire, Scotland Yard will have a retirement pension system. ”

The magistrate laughed and said, "I don't know if the magistrates are not eligible for pensions in the first place. When the pension system was first established in 1590, only retired officers of the Royal Navy were able to enjoy this benefit.

Later, the parliament incorporated the Army into the system. In the 17th and 18th centuries, such benefits were also enjoyed by public and civil services such as government officials and magistrates' courts.

In my opinion, sooner or later, the officers will have pensions. As you know, the government is now pragmatic, and as long as you can create a sense that Scotland Yard is playing a much bigger role than they are funding, then sooner or later the council and the Cabinet will consider giving the officers of Scotland Yard a decent retirement.

Arthur, do you remember what I said to you earlier? With you, everything will be fine, you are a natural police talent. Look at how many big cases you've cracked this year, if Scotland Yard didn't have a right-hand man like you, I guess all the people in the Home Office would have to be blinded. ”

When Arthur heard this, he only shrugged his shoulders half-jokingly and said: "I don't dare to ask for any pension now, I just ask them to make up for the performance bonus of Scotland Yard in the first half of the year." ”

The magistrate was stunned when he heard this: "The Ministry of the Interior is still pressuring your performance bonus?" ”

Arthur smiled helplessly: "Isn't it? You should know that Scotland Yard is all funded by the local security tax, but every time the Minister Rowan went to the Home Office to ask the Secretary of State for money, we always got a reply: 'Because the security tax in some parishes is more difficult to collect, we can only pay the basic salary temporarily, and as for the performance bonus for the first half of the year, we will have to wait a little longer'. ”

The magistrate frowned and said, "The tax can't come up?" So what does the Ministry of Finance do for food? These bastards, except for getting paid every day, really don't do anything at all. And the Ministry of Internal Affairs doesn't take you too seriously, why don't you know to go to the Ministry of Finance to urge it?

I think those guys are used to the benefits of Scotland Yard and think that's what you should do. If one day you suddenly give them a, those arrogant stuff with their nostrils up will know what it means to be powerful. ”

Arthur raised his eyebrows, pursed his lips and smiled: "You guessed it right, I heard that the old men of the Home Office seem to have nicknamed our Scotland Yard in private." ”

"Nickname? What nickname? ”

Arthur let out a sigh of white air to warm his hands: "I heard that they called us 'blue animals'. ”

"Blueskins?" The magistrate sneered when he heard this, and lifted his cane and slammed it on the wet floor tiles: "What a reason! They don't do things themselves, and they still talk so much when they see others doing things? ”

Arthur raised his hand and signaled to the old judge not to be so angry: "It's not a big deal, I guess it may be because of the collective salary increase in Scotland Yard a while ago that upset them." Originally, it was tight to use the security tax to maintain the daily operation of Scotland Yard, so the share of the salary increase in Scotland Yard was allocated from the office funds of the Ministry of the Interior.

That's it, let's not talk about these frustrations, Mr. Judge, you're about to retire, and I'm really a little reluctant to say it. After all, when I first came to Scotland Yard, I dealt with you almost every day. It's always sad to see a colleague who is capable and responsible. ”

When the magistrate heard this compliment, he immediately felt refreshed, and he replied with a smile: "It's not a big deal, the person who succeeds me will definitely do a better job than me, and will definitely not cause trouble for your Scotland Yard." ”

"Huh? Have the new judges been chosen? ”

The magistrate quipped: "Maybe you can consider going to the four major law houses in London for training, and it just so happens that your academic qualifications also meet the admission qualifications of the four major halls, although you are not an Oxford or Cambridge graduate, but in any case it is a university degree."

And I've been here for so many years, and I'm a little thin, so I'll just let out this old face and let them keep this position for you for a few years. Although this job is not as easy as Scotland Yard, the good thing is that the pay is not bad, and the annual income is 1,000 pounds. ”

Arthur also knew that the other party was joking, so he also responded with a joke: "If that's the case, if you just put this job open, it is estimated that many people will be willing to pay a high price for it." After that, you used the money from the sale of the position to pay for me the tuition fees of the Big Four Bar Societies, three hundred pounds a year, which is not something that a 'blue-skinned animal' like me can afford. ”

"Hahaha." The magistrate laughed and said, "Goodbye then, Arthur, good luck." ”

Arthur took off his hat and said goodbye to him, "I wish you a happy retirement." ”

After parting ways with the magistrate, Arthur breathed a sigh of relief and pushed open the door of the Metropolitan Police Department.

"Good morning, Superintendent Hastings."

"Well, good morning......"

Arthur greeted his busy colleagues as he walked through the hallways and the antechamber to the office door after ascending the steps.

As soon as he entered, he saw several police inspectors who had been waiting here for a long time standing up and saluting him.

"Superintendent Hastings."

Arthur glanced at them: "It's pretty early." ”

The police inspectors all smiled on their faces: "I'm used to it." ”

Arthur didn't talk nonsense with them, but unbuttoned his scarf, took off his coat, hung it on the coat rack in the office, and then pulled his tight white shirt and went to his office chair.

Arthur pulled out a few papers from the files piled up on his desk, and he held them and said, "I have to hold this police meeting every week, and you must be tired of listening to those polite words." So, I'll make a long story short about some important things, and I won't delay your daily work. ”

One by one, the Inspectors straightened their backs and sat in their chairs, and since Arthur didn't want to go into a tirade, they were happy to finish it as soon as possible.

Arthur glanced at them, pinched the manuscript and read, "Today is mainly to read to you a few documents, one is about the promotion of several police officers who have distinguished themselves in the Hyde Park riot and in recent months.

First, Arthur Hastings, Superintendent of Greenwich Police District and Tauer Hamletz Police District of the London Metropolitan Police Force, submitted a written application, which was approved by the Senior Police Council of the Greater London Metropolitan Police Agency, and the Home Office formally approved the promotion of Tony Eckhart, Tom Flanders, and Charles Field to the rank of sergeant.

Pending vacancies in the post of Sergeant in the London Metropolitan Police Force, three new Sergeants were temporarily assigned to the Provisional Bureau of Surveys and Surveys of the London Region to assist the Greater London Metropolitan Police Department in completing the mapping of the streets of the East End.

Secondly, in order to continue to enhance the cultural quality of police officers, in particular to address the shortage of police officers with the ability to prosecute in the District, and in response to the call of the Secretary of State for Home Affairs, Sir Peel, to rejuvenate the Force, the District plans to visit the University of London next week to look for suitable graduates to join the Force.

After you go back, sort out the shortage of civilian personnel in your jurisdiction, and report back to me. After all, we have this treatment, you also know in your hearts, although the University of London has not been awarded a royal charter, but no matter how to say that the graduates are also college students, let them occasionally go to the streets to patrol it, if you go often, it is estimated that everyone will run out in a few months.

After all, there are not many fools like me these days, and even fools like me almost ran to the Royal Navy in the first place, let alone those who are smarter than me. ”

When the police inspectors heard this, they couldn't help but laugh and said, "Superintendent Hastings, don't be presumptuous. It's rare to be able to reach this position at a young age. ”

"Really?" Arthur quipped, "Don't you have one in front of you?" ”

Another police inspector stood up and raised his own question: "Superintendent Hastings, I think it may be difficult for us to recruit graduates from the University of London, you just mentioned it, so we ...... this treatment."

Another police inspector clasped his hands, raised his eyebrows and smiled: "That's right, we will recruit Oxford and Cambridge to death for this treatment, and the University of London is a bit difficult." ”

Arthur smiled and glanced at him, "Well said. I've also considered the question you raised, and anyway, this year's funding is a bit richer, so let's just take out some of it as a prosecutorial subsidy. For each day of court appearance that week, an extra shilling was paid to the weekly salary, and it was only fair that anyone who could stand in the magistrate's court and straighten his mouth straightened would get the money. And in this way, those who have been reluctant to go to court to confront the judge and jury should also be willing to consider this matter. ”

The police inspectors nodded again and again: "This method is good." ”

Arthur turned the next page of the Chinese document in his hand, and suddenly covered his forehead as if he had a headache: "The last thing, of course, is about the maintenance of order in the venue of the new parliamentary election." You should also understand that every time a new king ascends to the throne, there will be re-elections in the council. However, the situation in this general election is different from the past, and you should all know how lively the city of London is these days. There must be no trouble at this stall, otherwise when the new cabinet comes up, there will be a ...... for us to feel comfortable with."

(End of chapter)