At half past six on Sunday evening, as night fell, lights rose among London's houses, large and small.

On the waterloo bridge on the dark Thames, which connects Lambers on the south bank with Charing Cross on the north bank, from gentlemanly men riding tall horses, to ladies riding in horse-drawn carriages, to dock workers who have just gotten off work in flannel blue overalls and smelling of sweat, and company employees wearing gold-rimmed glasses, small white shirts and coats, or middle- and lower-class women with plaid skirts and turbans rushing to buy discounted food before the Covent Garden market closes. From the top to the middle to the bottom, all classes of London pass on the bridge that connects the lifeline of London's transport.

Here, you'll get a glimpse of what London society is really like, and spend just half an hour here taking in the stories that unfold every day in Europe's largest industrial city.

Among the overwhelming array of ornate vehicles, an ordinary horse-drawn carriage with a black canopy and sealed carriage stood out as unremarkable.

Arthur, with his pipe in his mouth, sat in the carriage, and he looked up at the Thames River outside the window, where the lights of fishing fires reflected, and then at the bridge, which was named to commemorate the victory at the Battle of Waterloo and would later become famous for a romance movie called "The Blue Bridge".

However, he was not in the mood to appreciate the rich city fireworks here, because for he could not be distracted by the series of events that were going to take place tonight.

In the darkness, Tom couldn't see Arthur's face clearly, only red dots flickering in the darkness.

In the silence, a white mist dispersed like a cloud, and Arthur's voice, which had become slightly hoarse from smoking, suddenly sounded.

"Tom, have you arranged everything I told you?"

Tom naturally didn't dare to slack off on Arthur's question, but after such a long period of experience, he was no longer the little police officer who didn't even dare to stand on the bench of the magistrate's court a few months ago.

The starlight of the night shines through the window of the carriage on Tom's shoulder, illuminating the three-shaped Peugeot epaulettes, which symbolize his current rank.

Not a landless farmer, not a shoemaker, but Sheriff Tom Flanders.

The sheriff naturally wanted to act like a sheriff, and Tom flipped through the documents in his hand and made a formal report to Arthur word by word by moonlight.

"At the Russian Embassy, Miss Fiona Ivan has been hired for her half-baked Russian and German language, as well as her Russian roots. Judging from her feedback this morning, it seems that the embassy has temporarily arranged for her to do primary cleaning work. However, I am sure that with Miss Ivan's cleverness, she will soon be promoted.

As for tonight's special operation against the Russian Embassy, by your order, LPS Sergeant Tony Eckhart, Sergeant Charles Field, together with general employee Aaron Pinkerton. The infiltration will coincide with the concert, with the team launching the infiltration at seven o'clock sharp, Pinkerton in charge of the infiltration, Tony in charge of driving and letting out the wind, and Field as the maneuver group.

If the infiltration is successful, the team will be evacuated as originally planned, and the harvest will be delivered to your residence at 36 Lancaster Gate immediately after tonight's concert.

If the infiltration fails and the embassy catches Pinkerton red-handed, then Miss Ivan will signal that Sergeant Field will lead a team to intervene and claim that a thief who is being hunted by the police force has broken into the embassy area.

If the embassy releases him normally, then we will prosecute Pinkerton according to normal procedures and arrange a suitable prison for him to serve his sentence in peace, so as to minimize the embassy's vigilance. If they don't let them go, then you may need to step in to solve the rest of the matter. ”

In the darkness, Tom only saw the burning red dots bobbing up and down, and then he saw a pair of eyes that shimmered with a pale red light in the darkness, and then he realized that Arthur had just been closed.

Although he had always wondered why Arthur's eyes glowed red from time to time, and he had asked him this question, Arthur always joked with him that he had pink eye.

But even if Tom didn't know if Arthur really had an eye disease, the more than a year he spent with each other day and night still made him deeply understand that whenever Arthur's eyes showed this kind of light, it meant that he was serious.

Arthur put on his gloves little by little, and then stretched out his hand and compared them back and forth by the window, the superintendent-level white gloves issued by Scotland Yard were very delicate and almost impossible to see the slightest flaw.

The gloves tightly wrapped around his calloused hands from holding the officer's knife, and at first glance, they looked slender and beautiful, as if they could really play the piano.

"Let's hope they go well tonight. If we miss tonight, we won't be able to find a better opportunity during the London conference, and it's up to us tonight if the LPS can prove its worth. ”

Speaking of this, Arthur's words suddenly stopped, and he looked at Tom with a smile: "Tom, is it happier to do this kind of work than to be on duty at Scotland Yard?" ”

Perhaps because of the darkness of the night, Tom, who had always been gentle and even a little weak, brought up some wildness, and he smiled and nodded.

"To be honest, it's really much better than being on duty. Although I have to use my brain and learn to write documents here, I am fortunate that there is no psychological burden to do things. But when you are on the front line, you don't have to be tired, but you still have to face those poor people like us, and it is better to visit the Russian embassy once than to drive away the small vendors on the side of the road all day long. But ......"

Tom said this, and suddenly glanced at the fat French man sitting next to him, who was tied up with flowers, and even his mouth was gagged with a rag.

He pointed to Alexandre Dumas beside him and asked, "But, Arthur, can you tell me why you are going to play at the concert, why did you tie up Monsieur Dumas with you?" ”

As soon as Tom finished saying this, Dumas Madden, who had already lost much strength due to violent resistance, came back to his strength, and he nodded at Tom suddenly, and then raised his head at Arthur again, his eyes were as wide as pocket watches, and his mouth made a series of mumping sounds.

Although his pronunciation was unclear, Tom could vaguely tell that Alexandre Dumas seemed to be saying, "Arthur, are you crazy!" If I had known that I would have suffered this kind of encounter, I might have just let the pirates capture me! Quickly take off the rag, I'm going to suffocate you! ”

When Tom heard this, he asked Arthur with some tears and laughter: "Arthur, why don't you take the things in your mouth, he can't run anyway." ”

When Arthur heard this, he just took a puff of his cigarette: "I gag him for a reason. ”

Tom looked at Alexandre Dumas with excitement and blushed, and hesitated, "But ......"

Arthur just sighed when he saw him like this, and he said, "Well, Tom, you asked me to pick it, and you listened." ”

With that, Arthur reached out and removed the strip of cloth that was in Alexandre Dumas's mouth.

As soon as the strip of cloth left his mouth, before Alexandre Dumas could catch his breath, his angry national curse sounded in the carriage: "You donkey day English blue lobsters, I'll fuck your ......"

However, before the word 'mother' could leave his mouth, Arthur filled the strip of cloth back into his mouth.

Arthur looked at Tom with an expressionless face and said calmly, "So, you understand now, right?" I used to think that I could impress him with his true feelings, but French emotions are usually unreliable. In terms of emotion, they played more expensive than the upper class of Britain. ”

Tom looked at Alexandre Dumas with a complicated expression, and then asked Arthur, "I'm okay with the gag, but why did you bring him with you to the concert?" Isn't this fat man just a pure burden? ”

Arthur said, "I didn't intend to take him with me, but Mr. François Vidocq of France had given me a notice of a crime, and he said that he was going to give me a big deal on the day of the concert. Given that the fat man still has a bounty from the French government on his head, I think it's worth being cautious. After all, if we lose him during the London Conference, then we will lose a lot of people in Britain. ”

When Dumas heard this, his nostrils blew repeatedly, and after a slurred chant in French, he finally said something Arthur could understand: "You tied me up for this little thing?" I told you that Mr. Vidocq wouldn't tie me up, he was my friend. Besides, what about human rights in Britain! Isn't this your favorite thing to mention? ”

When Arthur heard this, he just said lightly: "Those Taoist friends who were brought to justice by Mr. Vidocq also think so, in my opinion, Mr. Vidocq may not do it because the price is not enough." I have inquired that Monsieur Vidocq's annual salary at the Grand Paris Police Department is 6,000 francs, and for these six thousand francs he can send eight hundred friends a year, and the bounty on your head is now two or three thousand pounds.

Alexander, although you are a literary playwright who is obsessed with literary and artistic careers, and you have always been generous in dealing with property, you should always know that the exchange rate of the pound to the franc is one to twenty, right? Your head is worth 60,000 francs, and it will be enough for Monsieur Vidocq to work for ten years, and with so much money in front of him, who is not confused?

As for the human rights you mentioned, Mr. Thomas Paine, who wrote "Human Rights", was great, but after he finished writing that book, he was wanted by the government and had to go to France to participate in the Revolution. Britain has the soil to nurture Human Rights, but unfortunately we can't accommodate him here, at least for now. If you want to talk about Human Rights, I could also consider sending you back to France right away. ”

Alexandre Dumas was so angry with Arthur's words that he couldn't get enough of it, and it took a long time for him to hold back a sentence: "Then you at least took the rags off my mouth, right?" ”

Arthur glanced at him, "Of course you can take off the rags, but you have to promise me not to be rude." ”

Alexandre Dumas was furious, and even his unkempt head seemed to stand up: "I promise! ”

When Arthur heard this, he reluctantly took the thing out of his mouth: "By the way, to correct you, this is not a rag, but a sock sponsored by Elder in friendship." ”

"Huh? Arthur, you ......"

Before Dumas could finish his sentence, his mouth was instantly gagged again.

Seeing that he was so emotional, Arthur also knew that he couldn't push this fat man into a hurry, otherwise he would have to write it into a book and scold him.

He said in a good voice and relieved: "Alexander, you can bear with me a little longer." When you get to the theater later, you'll be safe. Tonight's show is still quite exciting, I have prepared a small box with a good location for you, except that you can't move freely until the end of the show, all the treatment is top-notch. ”

The carriage was in the middle of the conversation between Arthur and the others, all the way across the Waterloo Bridge and along the Waterloo Road.

After about ten minutes of driving, the carriage finally stopped slowly in front of the Coburg Theater, which is surrounded by red-brick theaters.

At this time, the front of the theater was already crowded, and everywhere there was a strong smell of perfume and the chatter and laughter of gentlemen and ladies.

Occasionally, a few pairs of ill-intentioned eyes flashed in the middle of the crowd, and it was a brigade of pickpockets and thieves who had arrived from all parts of London.

Correspondingly, you can also see a lot of lonely women in the crowd with pitiful and weak makeup, but they are not serious aristocratic ladies, but high-end prostitutes waiting for customers to come to the door.

On occasions like this, their business is always indispensable.

For example, Arthur's eyelids are in front of him, and now there is one who is consulting.

"Oh! Madam, I ...... Hehe, no, no, don't get me wrong, I didn't want to rob you, I have no malice at all. You know, I'm very well educated, you don't know, but I graduated from Oxford. Oh, yes, that's right, of course I have a decent job with this educational background, I work in the Royal Navy, I have a good income, I live near Hyde Park, and there are many people who want to please me.

Like the superintendent of Scotland Yard, a French playwright, a Cambridge-graduated priest, and a magazine editor and newspaper reporter, alas, you really don't know, these people are really annoying. They always beg me to help them deal with some difficult things, but although it is troublesome, it is always rewarded.

You see, I happen to have two tickets here, box tickets, which were given by those people. Unfortunately, my female companion was not feeling well tonight and could not come on time. Alas, she really didn't have this blessing, and it made me a little sad. But she can't come, and I won't be accompanied by a female companion tonight. If that's the case, I'll be too embarrassed in front of my friends.

Look at you, you are born so beautifully, like the stars in the night sky. I wonder if you would be kind enough to join me to tonight's concert? To tell you the truth, seeing you reminds me of Lord Byron's poem—that young people are full of energy, as abundant as the river in spring. I...... I'd like to know you a little bit better. ”

Arthur's eyelids jumped slightly as he looked at the familiar face, and the leg that had just stepped out of the carriage was retracted.

Dumas behind him also looked at him, and then hurriedly sat back down.

Arthur closed the car door, coughed lightly, and said apologetically to the driver, "Sir, please go around the back door of the theater and get off." There are a lot of monkeys at the main entrance of the theater. ”

(End of chapter)