In the second-floor box of the Coburg Theater, Arthur couldn't help but have a headache as he looked at the spacious room with mahogany cabinets, soft sofas, and a wide view.

Although he had stressed to the theater staff beforehand that he only needed a room that was more private and not too noticeable.

But......

Arthur caught a glimpse of the elaborate large bed in the center of the room, and he thought that the staff member had clearly mistaken his intentions.

The two of them obviously have different understandings of the word secret.

However, it is better to have a box than nothing, and the concert is about to start, so it will definitely be too late to change the position temporarily.

If it comes, it will be safe, and the living must not let the urine suffocate to death.

Arthur looked around, but finally decided to stuff Dumas under the bed.

"Alexander, you can bear with it and it will pass. Tonight's concert is only three or four hours, so you can just lie down and sleep. ”

Of course, Dumas was 10,000 reluctant to answer Arthur's decision, but his hands and feet were tied behind his back, and even his mouth was gagged.

Arthur said apologetically, "I know it's not going to be good for you, but it's the safest way to do it." If you have any opinions, it's best to mention them now. If you don't speak, I'll take your acquiescence. ”

With that, Arthur and Tom shoved the hard French fat man under the bed.

After cleaning up the chaos here, Arthur finally had time to light his pipe, take a long breath, and let out a long puff of smoke.

Tom wore white gloves as he carefully flipped through today's plan of action, staring at the plans one, two, three, and four, and frowning.

He asked with some incomprehension: "Although it is good to have so many plans, but ...... Is it necessary to write all the rules and regulations in such detail? You're almost in time for the laws enacted by Parliament. ”

Arthur smiled while smoking, "In this day and age, it may not be necessary to deal with others, but today's opponent is François Vidocq. Most of the criminal investigation regulations in our Scotland Yard are based on the French "Regulations on the Police Administration of the Grand Paris Police Department", and more than half of the regulations in them were formulated by Mr. Vidocq. In the face of such people, it is better for us to be careful. ”

"Huh?" When Tom heard this, he became interested for a while: "Did he also participate in the formulation of police regulations?" What do our rules have to do with him? ”

When Arthur heard this, he just grinned: "It's a pity that Tony is not here today, otherwise maybe he will be able to take revenge." ”

"What do you mean?"

Arthur laughed, "The prohibitions that Annoy Tony is most annoying about are almost all prescribed by Mr. Vidocq. For example, a police officer is not allowed to make friends with unscrupulous members of society, gamble, incur debts, be disheveled, or drink too much...... Anyway, not all of the seven or eighty percent of Scotland Yard have anything to do with Mr. Vidocq, and the remaining two or three percent are derived from Mr. Vidocq. You say, if Tony knew about it, would he have to fight Mr. Vidocq on the spot? ”

When Tom heard this, he couldn't help but smirk: "It turns out that he made up all those bullshit rules, and it seems that the police in Paris are not more relaxed than us." ”

Arthur laughed, "If he really dares to come over today, Tom, you know what to do." It was nothing to give two blows, and although Mr. Vidocq was famous, he was only the head of the security department of the Grand Paris Police Department after all. From the point of view of authority, he is on the same level as me, and most importantly, he can't control you.

Of course, don't just beat people to death, just calculate, he is still an entourage of the French diplomatic delegation, and if there is a murder, we will not be able to explain it to the above. ”

When Tom heard this, his nervousness relaxed, and he replied with a smile, "Don't worry, I'm measured." But then again, it's not often that chance to punch a senior police officer, and the last time Tony and I fought Sheriff Willocks, I didn't get the timing right, and this time I'm not going to let the opportunity slip through my fingers again. ”

At this point, Tom asked, "By the way, does that Mr. Vidocq have any physiognomy features?" ”

Arthur thought for a moment, shrugged his shoulders and said, "This is the difficult part, Mr. Vidocq is very good at casual clothes, from the poor to the rich, from the young man in his twenties, to the old man in his sixties and seventies, he has had the experience of disguise. In addition to the usual elegance of the French, he also had a brilliant mind and a cunning personality. ”

Tom joked, "Arthur, look at what you said." Blowing Mr. Vidocq like the Napoleon of the police world. ”

Arthur also quipped: "In Paris, there are people who really call him that." ”

Tom laughed, "So you're the Wellington of our Scotland Yard?" ”

"We're in a worse situation now than we were at Waterloo." Arthur quipped, "Your Excellency the Duke has waited for the Germans to come to the rescue, and we will now have to rely on our own active defense." ”

As soon as Arthur finished speaking, there was a knock on the door outside the box.

Arthur frowned, winked at Tom, and only slowly opened the door when he was sure that his trusted subordinate was hidden.

He held one hand on the doorknob, and the other behind his back pressed the civilization staff pinned to the belt of his trousers.

He heard a creak and the door opened, but the face that appeared in front of Arthur made him angry.

It was Elder who was flushed with a red face and looked as if he was about to take the railway from London to Liverpool.

"Arthur, I knew you were here!"

Arthur stretched out his head and looked down the side of the hallway until he was sure no one was following him, and then dragged him into the room.

He closed the door and asked, "Damn! Held, didn't I tell you not to come to me until the show is over today? ”

Elder clutched his pounding little heart and said, "Arthur, if it's something else, you can let me not look for you for a year." But I have to take it out and share it with you, my best friend. ”

Arthur frowned, "What? Did you win the lottery this afternoon? ”

Elder waved his hand and said, "That's not it, the horse I bought in the afternoon ran last today." ”

Arthur congratulated: "Congratulations." ”

"Arthur! I've said it all, it's not this thing! ”

Elder's face was about to burst into a flower: "Forget it, I'm in a good mood today, so I won't worry about you anymore." Do you know? I may have had a genuine love, I just got a chick, you don't know how good her figure is, she's five feet nine inches tall, she has a white goose egg face, and she has long pale blonde hair. O my God! There aren't many girls in London who stand out like this, so I just let me pick them up. ”

Arthur only took a puff of his cigarette when he heard this: "Elder is true, although we are best friends, and that girl sounds very good, whether from the perspective of Catholicism, Protestantism, or British traditional morality, there is no need to share it with me. ”

"What good do you want?!" Elder glared and said, "Arthur, you are indispensable for other things, but if you want to beat her, don't blame me for not treating you as a brother." ”

After that, Elder stretched out his head and looked behind Arthur: "What about Alexander?" I'm going to take this and get angry with him. ”

"Alexander?" Arthur pretended to be at a loss and said, "I don't know, I thought he was with you." ”

When Elder heard this, he just muttered, "Oh, I guess where that fat man has gone to spend all his time drinking." But I'm sure I'm better than him today. By the way, Arthur, you don't have to wait for me to come home tonight, I have some business to take care of. ”

Arthur scratched his sideburns: "What about tomorrow night?" ”

"Tomorrow night?" Elder tugged at his collar angrily, turned and left, "I might move out of your house tomorrow night." ”

"Okay." Arthur looked at Elder with an excited look and stopped talking, but out of friendship between friends, he still politely reminded him: "Elder . ”

"What's wrong?" Elder stopped, turned his head and smiled, "Arthur, don't be jealous. Your appearance is also good, if you look carefully, you will definitely be much better than me. ”

Arthur just raised his hand to signal him to stop: "That's not what I'm talking about. ”

"Huh?"

Arthur lightly spat out a puff of smoke ring: "If you don't return for three days, I will treat you as missing." ”

"Fuck off." Elder cursed with a smile, then walked down the stairs with his head puffed out and like a Thames swan under royal protection.

As soon as Elder left, Alexandre Dumas's head came out from under the bed, and the fat man protested, "Are you sure you're not going to stare at Elder tonight?" How do I feel that his situation may be a little more dangerous than mine? He didn't think about it, what kind of woman with an unclear mind could actually think that this kid was attractive? ”

Arthur raised an eyebrow at Alexandre Dumas lying on the ground, and nodded, "I agree with that, the ladies who can take a fancy to Elder are usually very smart, just like the last time Fiona set her sights on you." ”

He put one hand on the door, leaned over his hands and frowned for a long time, and finally said, "That's it, leave him alone for the time being." If Elder is lost, I will find him in the Thames at most, and there may be some room for redemption in the light of time.

But, Alexander, if you lose it, I guess in the end you will have to take a boat to France and get you out of the Seine. Compared with the two, the difference in difficulty is simply one day and another. It's neither economical nor practical to give up on you to stare at Held.

If something does happen to Elder in the end, I'm sure he'll understand me. As a graduate of the University of London, he should know what utilitarianism is. ”

(End of chapter)