As night falls, at London 1 today, the Abbesley House is brightly lit.

Although no one in Britain has a better name than Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, the number of people attending the banquet today was not too large.

Perhaps it was because the number of people invited by the Duke was relatively small, or perhaps everyone was busy distancing themselves from the former prime minister, who had stepped down for opposing the parliamentary reform bill, all in all, the number of people attending the banquet was a little deserted compared to the huge ballroom.

Arthur stood in front of the window and watched the raindrops that were darkened by the night, and the finger-sized raindrops shook the roadside lights.

He watched as a lone pedestrian stepped over the lamp, his boots in puddles, splashing mud spots, and his figure soon disappeared into the endless rain curtain.

The Red Devil stood behind Arthur, and the Red Devil whispered, "Arthur, do you see?" On rainy days, even the shadows are absent. So, if you don't want to be abandoned, remember to walk in the sun all the time.

Why should you wade into this troubled water, your reputation on the Whig side is also on the rise, and it is not good for you to be in a relationship with Wellington. Can't the position of the head of the London Police Intelligence Service win your heart? ”

When Arthur heard this, he just glanced at the Red Devil: "I'm just here for a meal, Agareth, why do you have so much heart?" ”

"Is that so?" The Red Devil raised an eyebrow, "You know, your actions today may have an impact on your experience in the next ten years, not everyone has the stomach to be tolerant, especially for the Whigs who have returned to their position in power after thirty years. ”

Arthur just said, "If you just seek a position, you can go all the way to the end." But if you want to get something done, you need to balance the relationship between all parties. Britain is not France, so there is no faction that will be crushed when they step down. Even in France, it won't be long before the frustrated faction will come back, maybe ten years, or twenty years, but it will never disappear into the world just because someone says I don't like it, not even God. God hates demons so much, but aren't you, Agareth, alive and well now? ”

When the Red Devil heard this, he just smiled lightly: "Well, Arthur, since you insist on this, I won't persuade you." But be careful, you don't want to play yourself to death. Many people think they are omnipotent, and when they look back, they find that they have reached a situation where they must die.

You may not believe it, but that old God's greatest love for mankind is to give you foolish worms an equal right to die. Whether it's the most devout believer or the most deviant atheist, everyone has only one life, and that's perfectly fair. ”

With that, the Red Devil turned into a bubble and disappeared into the hall.

When Arthur came to his senses, he looked down to find that the wine glass he was holding in his hand was gone.

He shook his head and said, "After talking for a long time, it's not to cheat some food?" The Duke of Hell, who commanded the thirty-one demon legions, was only so promising. ”

As soon as Arthur finished speaking, Dumas, who had been at the table and looked at the pre-dinner dessert for the guests to satisfy their hunger, also circled back.

Accompanying Alexandre Dumas was Vidocq, who had a plot to kidnap Alexandre Dumas a few days ago with gauze wrapped around his hands.

Vidocq led Alexandre Dumas to Arthur, lowered his voice and said, "Let's go, I have already informed Monsieur Talleyrand in advance, and he is willing to see you." ”

Arthur nodded, and as he walked with Vidocq, he asked, "Is there anything you need to pay attention to in a moment?" ”

Vidocq thought for a moment and spoke, "Mr. Talleyrand is usually quite easy-going, but there is only one thing he doesn't like when people talk about his lame leg. But even if you did, as long as you didn't use offensive language, but joked in a joking tone, Monsieur Talleyrand would not usually take it seriously. ”

Hearing this, Alexandre Dumas pouted: "I guess Louis XVI, Robespierre, Napoleon, and Louis XVIII all thought so back then." ”

Vidocq stood outside the door of the recreation room, holding the doorknob with one hand and patting Dumas on the shoulder with the other: "Alright, Alexander, a bunch of dead people, what are they doing?" But you have to understand that Mr. Talleyrand is still alive now. And I must be fair, you are a young man, so you did not go through that era, and Mr. Talleyrand is obviously much easier to get along with than the men you mentioned. ”

With that, Vidocq knocked on the door, then pushed the door in and introduced, "Your Excellency, Mr. Dumas and Mr. Hastings have come to visit. ”

Arthur stood in the doorway and looked inside, he thought that these big men in Europe must be talking about something big with a glass of wine, but the scene in the entertainment room made him feel a little confused.

He only saw a few old men sitting around the card table playing poker, if it weren't for the luxurious clothes on their bodies, one by one, the old man's shirt would be no different from the old man he had seen playing chess in the park in his previous life.

Talleyrand raised his head and looked at it, then threw out a J and said, "Come in and sit down, it's just a wanted warrant, what's the big deal?" Who hasn't been wanted by the government when they're young? Vidocq, aren't you and I too? ”

When Vidocq heard this, his embarrassed old face turned red, and he corrected: "Your Excellency, I have long since reformed my ways, and I am now a good citizen of France. ”

Talleyrand looked at the card table as he spoke, "A good citizen can't do a job as a policeman, let alone a security department. ”

Vidocq's face was sweating when he heard this, and he complimented: "Your Excellency, I am not a wise man like you, so you better not embarrass me, you and Mr. Dumas and Mr. Hastings talk slowly." ”

With that, Vidocq closed the door and ran outside to smoke.

Talleyrand lost a target and quickly turned his attention to Alexandre Dumas.

He patted the empty stool beside him and said, "Sit down, I know you young people are in good health, but you don't have to show off in front of me, an old man." ”

Alexandre Dumas looked a little stubborn, and although he promised Arthur to have a good talk with Talleyrand, he couldn't let go of the knots in his heart when he came to him.

After all, the collapse of the French Republic is indispensable to Talleyrand's credit.

Of course, the same was true of Napoleon's downfall.

Arthur just shook his head when he saw him, and then pressed his friend to the bench and sat down, he smiled helplessly: "Your Excellency, don't be surprised, French republican, you should know. ”

Hearing this, Talleyrand just smiled: "It's nothing, Alexander's style is just like his father." But I have to say, Alexander, I don't like your father, but I don't hate you for a while. ”

Alexandre Dumas didn't want to talk to Talleyrand, but when he heard this, he couldn't help but turn his head and ask, "Why?" ”

Talleyrand made another pair of fives: "I have always believed that one cannot trust a person who is not a republican before the age of 30, nor should one trust a person who remains a republican after the age of 30." You now belong to the former, and your father belongs to the latter. ”

Reflecting on these words, Alexander asked, "Is this ...... Why is that? ”

When Arthur heard this, he only opened his mouth and added for Talleyrand: "For he who is not a republican before the age of thirty has no conscience, and he who remains a republican after the age of thirty has no brain." ”

When Talleyrand heard this, he couldn't stop laughing, and he said to his old friends at the card table: "Look, I just said that a good citizen is not a good policeman." ”

When Dumas heard this, he couldn't help frowning and asked Arthur, "Then do you have a conscience?" ”

When Arthur heard this, he neither said yes nor no, he just calmly shot back: "Alexander, fishing law enforcement is my job." Do you want to join Scotland Yard? ”

Talleyrand was so amused by them that he even put down the poker in his hand, and he spoke: "Originally, when Vidocq told me that he had found a talent at Scotland Yard, the first thing I thought of was Fouché's bastard who had neither conscience nor emotion, but now it seems that you and Fouché are not at all different.

If it were Fouché, I guess we would have tied up Alexander, the fat boy, and made a private deal with us. But it's good not to be like Fouché, after all, Britain and France are not the same, maybe a guy like you can mix better than him here. ”

Hearing this, the friends on the side coaxed: "Young man, your luck today is really good!" So far, our Monsieur Talleyrand has a 100 percent success rate in his predictions, he said that Napoleon was going to fall, Napoleon would fall, he said that Robespierre would not succeed, and sure enough, Robespierre lost his head. Talleyrand, you were a bishop when you were young, did God tell you these things? ”

When Talleyrand heard this, he also quipped: "Of course, God told me." You may not know that when they chose me as patriarch, I warned them: sooner or later, you will regret it! At the time, they thought I was scaring them, but now they know it. ”

Friends also laughed when they heard this: "Really? What language do you use when you speak to God? ”

Talleyrand laughed, "Spanish, of course. Don't you remember the words of Charles V? I speak Spanish with God, Italian with women, French with men, and German with my horse. ”

When Arthur heard this, he added: "It's not so much trouble to communicate with the devil, whether it's English, French, or German, you just have to speak human language." ”

As soon as Arthur's words came out, he immediately caused laughter in the hall again.

Although Arthur didn't know why the group was laughing, he was just stating a fact, but he was always taken as a joke.

Agares, who was leaning on the card table in the recreation room and eating jelly beans, heard this, but said, "It's okay if you don't talk to people, I can still communicate with monkeys." I mean, if you're willing to admit you're a monkey. ”

Arthur glanced at him, and was about to speak, when Dumas, who was sitting next to him, finally couldn't hold back.

He said, "I want to ask a question." ”

Talleyrand raised his eyebrows and said, "Say, since I am willing to see you, I am not afraid to talk to you about problems." I've had problems all over my life, and I don't have many of you. However, I guess all you have to ask is the few people, why did I betray Napoleon, or why did I rebel against the republic? These things, in fact, my mouth is going to be peeled, which one are you going to ask? ”

"If you're willing to answer, I'd like to hear both."

Talleyrand sighed with one hand on the card table: "Originally, I wanted to say something happy about today's banquet. But if you insist on listening, then I will tell you.

As I said in 1792, the old monarchy had collapsed, but the new idea of liberty had not been widely accepted, and I saw that France would be plunged into a sea of blood, an age of beasts without justice, but violence.

The facts have proved my opinion, and I can say to you very seriously that you can stand before me with dignity because it is Talleyrand who sits before you. If Robespierre is sitting here right now, your head has already moved. ”

Alexandre Dumas frowned, "I'm a republican. ”

"Oh, really?"

Talleyrand laughed: "Danton, Marat, Brissot, Ebel, Desmoulins, etc., all these people were republicans, and even Robespierre himself was guillotined. Do you dislike me because I'm against them killing people so indiscriminately? ”

When Dumas heard this, he held his breath for a long time, and finally spoke: "I think that with your ability, you may be able to correct them. ”

Talleyrand just shook his head: "Maybe you still overestimate me, I have always felt that when making a choice and taking sides, we must first understand whether the side that suits us is enough for us to win, without such a guarantee, to participate is to go crazy." At that time, it was clear that everyone was going crazy, and whoever you were involved in was killing yourself. ”

"So that's why you ran abroad during that time?"

"Of course."

"And then how do you explain your betrayal of Napoleon?"

When Talleyrand heard this, he only spoke: "I did not betray Napoleon, but Napoleon betrayed France, and I warned him not to launch an expedition against Russia, but he insisted on doing so, bringing the whole French nation to its destruction." In that case, is there anything wrong with me finding a way out for the whole people of France in advance?

Napoleon left France with hordes of orphans and widows, a crumbling state finance, a withering domestic economy, and at least I secured for France at the Congress of Vienna a surrender of the plundered spoils, without ceding land, without paying reparations, and without returning the spoils of war. I didn't want to ask for credit in this way, but Alexander, if you have to say how much benefit Napoleon brought to France, I don't agree.

But you're a young man, so I don't blame you because you didn't go through that tumultuous time. In the past half-century, I have seen too many people who claim to be able to save France. But what did they end up bringing to France, did you really think about it seriously?

In those thirty years, there was capriciousness everywhere, and there were many kinds of morals everywhere, but behind those morals was a brutal killing career with no end in sight. The starving people are left unattended, the families of the fallen soldiers do not receive pensions, the streets of the cities are overgrown with weeds, and there are always wars without real victory.

In those thirty years, France was always saved by various people for various reasons, and I have long been accustomed to it. But fortunately, that time has passed, but, Alexander, your next sentence is very important, and you had better think clearly before answering. Are you going to tell me that you're going to be next? ”

(End of chapter)