In front of the sofa in the living room, Arthur, Disraeli, and Alexandre Dumas sat around the sofa discussing the battle plan against Gladstone.

From Disraeli's gritted teeth, you can read how much this guy hates the outstanding Oxford graduate who suddenly appeared.

However, it is not to blame the Tories bigwigs for admiring Gladstone so much, it is really this young man who has been too precise in his political aesthetics in terms of educational background and personality traits.

Graduated from Eton College and Oxford University, he has a pure life style, a sense of public responsibility, no smoking, no alcohol, no sex relationships, and even no girlfriends.

Ethically, this is a typical Calvinist with a traditionally conservative attitude.

Politically, he identified with a series of legal reforms undertaken by Sir Peel and advocated for justice, openly declaring that 'justice delayed is not justice'.

At the same time, however, he opposed parliamentary reforms, such as liberal reforms proposed by the Whigs, such as granting Jews the right to vote in parliamentary elections and opening existing universities to "non-Anglicans."

If the last few words were erased, Mr. Gladstone would undoubtedly be a young statesman who was widely welcomed by the British people.

But once the following sentences are added, then the area of Mr. Gladstone's popularity will naturally be narrowed. He was transformed into a young politician who was unpopular with Jews and non-Anglicans, but who still managed to gain a huge following within the Tory.

Unfortunately, the composition of the three people sitting in front of the sofa today is quite complicated, with a Jew and a non-Anglican among them. As for the last one, it's obviously worse, because it's a French writer who can't get him to support you no matter what slogan you shout.

Disraeli clapped the case and shouted, "Arthur, did you see that? Gladstone isn't just here for me, he's also for non-Anglicans like You, and I'm not just trying to bring him down for myself, but for you and Alexander. ”

Dumas didn't care, "Come on, Benjamin." What is the British slang? Don't scare people by hanging yourself on the flag. ”

Arthur took a sip of tea and added, "In the East, this sentence can also be called pulling tiger skin to make a banner. ”

Dumas nodded and said, "Oh? Is it? Arthur, it's a real day to learn something new from being with you. ”

Disraeli was still reluctant to hear this, and he asked, "Arthur, although you agreed that I would add a scene to Scotland Yard, I don't think that alone will be able to completely knock out Gladstone. I think the documents you gave me earlier are still very useful. You're right, attacking Lord Russell alone is no longer enough for me now, and perhaps I should find an opportunity to publicly attack Viscount Palmerston in the near future? ”

As soon as Arthur heard that Disraeli was going to attack Palmerston, he hurriedly raised his hand to stop him: "Benjamin, I just had a certain degree of in-depth discussion with His Excellency the Viscount yesterday on the Polish question and the censorship of books and newspapers. While I agree that you are planning to attack him, I think it's best not to happen in the near future, otherwise it will not only cause trouble for British, but may even affect your election results in the upcoming general election. You don't want the Whigs to focus their fire on you, do you? ”

When Dumas heard this, before Disraeli could speak, he frowned and preemptively asked, "Have you gone to meet with Palmerston?" Has his attitude towards the Polish question changed? ”

Arthur said vaguely: "His Excellency the Viscount is also very concerned about the living conditions of Polish exiles, and he also intends to do something practical for the sake of the Poles. Yesterday His Excellency the Viscount informed me that he intended to pay a personal visit to Prince Czartorysky, the leader of the Polish exiles, to see if he could help them solve some of the problems. ”

Speaking of this, Arthur put down his teacup and looked at Disraeli and said, "That's why, Benjamin, that's why I don't recommend that you attack him on Poland in the near future." Otherwise, if you attack the Foreign Secretary on the front foot, and the newspaper on the back foot appears with a headline about his concern for Polish refugees, you will become the laughing stock of British politics. ”

Disraeli broke out in a cold sweat when he heard this, and he took out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the beads of sweat from his forehead: "Oh my God! Arthur, I'm glad I came to see you today, otherwise I'd have hit my head against the wall. ”

Alexandre Dumas was skeptical: "But...... Palmerston said that he wanted to improve the treatment of Polish refugees, and you believed him so easily? Didn't Benjamin say that the guy didn't have a few words of truth in his mouth? ”

Arthur nodded, "That's right, Benjamin's judgment is correct, and you, Alexander, have no problem with your suspicions." Of course, Viscount Palmerston would not change his attitude towards Poland because of my words, he was only intending to put on a façade. So, I just hope that Benjamin will be able to raise the question of Viscount Palmerston in Parliament after he has been elected to the Legislature.

From the content of my exchanges with Viscount Palmerston, he is not a man who is very resistant to the use of unconventional means. If Benjamin had been a civilian critic of foreign policy, and at the time when Viscount Palmerston had just finished pretending, I don't know what he would have done. After all, at that stall, public opinion was on his side, and if he suddenly accused Benjamin of slandering the cabinet, it seemed to be barely justified.

Don't forget Bernie Harrison, Scotland Yard hasn't moved until now, not because we're going to settle down. But Mr. Harrison is still on the cusp of public opinion because of the issue of funding the Polish lady. After ten days and half a month when no one cared about him, Scotland Yard could rightfully invite him to the interrogation room and concentrate on the murder. ”

When Disraeli heard this, he knew there was no need to continue to insist on this matter.

Instead, he asked: "It's really not a good idea to provoke Palmerston when the election is approaching." But it's the same in other ways, I ......"

This time, before Disraeli could finish speaking, Arthur said: "Don't worry, Benjamin, in addition to going to Scotland Yard to do moral persuasion, I have prepared another thing for you that can be in the limelight." Viscount Palmerston yesterday generously offered to provide jobs for Polish refugees, and in order to prevent him from continuing to dwell on the Polish article in the British, I told him how many posts our editorial board could contribute.

According to Viscount Palmerston's personality, he will definitely take this matter to the newspaper and blow it up, and you, as our major shareholder and editor-in-chief, will be able to follow him for a few interview opportunities at that time.

And in the future, if you are going to make trouble for him on the Polish issue after you are elected to the parliament, you can also use the status of this Polish employer to show up and tell everyone that in fact, the lives of most Polish refugees have not improved. Why not do it? ”

When Dumas heard this, he just put down his teacup and gritted his teeth and exclaimed, "Black! It's dark! Arthur, it's a shame in British politics that you don't run for Parliament. ”

Disraeli, who still has a good conscience, is a little worried about Arthur's situation: "But if I come to such a hand...... Arthur, won't you have a problem over there? Once I'm elected to Parliament, I'll have no fear of Palmerston's threats, and no one will dare to trouble British. But after all, you're working in Scotland Yard, aren't you afraid that Palmerston will come back to you for the back of your account? ”

Arthur listened disapprovingly and leaned back on the sofa with a teacup: "Benjamin, Viscount Palmerston is the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and his hand is not in the Ministry of the Interior for the time being." I know he has a good relationship with the Home Secretary, the Viscount of Melbourne, but if I can make the Viscount of Melbourne feel that I am important to him, then nothing will happen to me anytime soon. ”

Disraeli asked, "Then do you think you are important to the Viscount of Melbourne?" ”

Arthur took a sip of tea, shook his head slowly, and said, "It's not important now, he is at most looking at Lord Broughham's face and treating me a little politely." ”

Alexandre Dumas wondered, "And where does your confidence come from?" ”

Arthur smiled lightly, "Of course, it comes from Mr. Bernie Harrison and their good friend Judge Norton." ”

Arthur's words confused Alexandre Dumas and Disraeli, and they couldn't guess what Arthur was talking about. Just as they were about to continue their questioning, they suddenly heard a knock on the door.

Alexandre Dumas got up and opened the door, and he was greeted by a thin young man in a close-fitting tuxedo and a dark gray bow, with a hint of melancholy in his eyes.

The man's face looked slightly haggard, and although he wanted to beat his spirits, he could still see at a glance the traces of exhaustion left by life on him.

He looked at Dumas, a polite smile, and took off his hat and asked in his half-baked English, "Excuse me, is this Mr. Arthur Hastings' apartment?" ”

Alexandre Dumas looked at him strangely, pinched his chin and asked, "Are you a Frenchman?" ”

The young man was slightly surprised: "Why do you say that? ”

Alexandre Dumas replied, "Because your accent is so strange, it's the same as when I first learned English." ”

Hearing this, the young man only smiled gently: "I do have half French ancestry, my father is French, but my mother and I are both out-and-out Poles. ”

When Dumas heard this, he laughed and said, "Really? Then we still have some similarities. My grandfather was French, but my grandmother was a black slave girl. ”

Hearing this, the young man politely asked, "Is this ...... Are you Mr. Hastings' servant? ”

"Servant? No, no, no, there is no one in the world who can make me a servant to him. ”

Speaking of which, Alexandre Dumas added: "Especially the French lord Louis Philippe. ”

When the young man heard this, he smiled bitterly and said, "Although I do not want to oppose you, I think the reason why you are so disgusted with the king of France is because you have not met the Tsar of Russia. ”

Dumas thought for a moment when he heard this, and he nodded, "That's what you said, at least Louis Philippe can be considered a humanoid. For Poland's sake, friend, come in first. You can see that you are not a difficult person to deal with, and luckily for you, Mr. Arthur Hastings is also such a person. ”

Arthur got up from the couch and asked, "Alexander, is anyone coming?" ”

Dumas led the young man into the house and introduced Arthur, "Arthur, this is ...... Uh, I forgot to ask, who are you? ”

When Disraeli heard this, he couldn't help but quip: "Thank God, Alexander!" Luckily, he gave you a pair of hands that could write The Count of Monte Cristo, and if you were to be a janitor, you would starve to death sooner or later. ”

When the young man heard this, he just smiled and replied, "It's not to blame the gentleman next to me, it's that I didn't explain it clearly to him." I really took the liberty of visiting the door without making an appointment in advance, this is my business card, please be sure to accept it. ”

Arthur first glanced at the other party, and then solemnly took the business card from the other party's hand.

He glanced down and saw that the business card, which was so thin and unadorned that it contained only a few short but useful paragraphs of information.

Frédéric Chopin

He learned piano at the age of 6, composed music at the age of 7, performed for the first time at the Latziviu Palace charity concert at the age of 8, graduated from the Warsaw Conservatory, and was a young pianist who gave small concerts in Vienna at the age of 19.

Chopin looked at Arthur with a calm face with some apprehension, he didn't know why Arthur had to look at such a short business card for so long.

As soon as he thought of this, he couldn't help but feel a little annoyed, maybe he shouldn't have come to this place today. Had it not been for the fact that he had little money left in his pocket, and that he needed to save up for a ticket to Paris, he would never have visited a stranger whom he had never met.

Even though the stranger has always had a good reputation in the outside world, even Prince Czartorysky, the leader of the Polish exiles, praised the shareholder of the British, and even more incredibly, the young Englishman, whose main job is the Superintendent of Scotland Yard, is also a pianist for the London Philharmonic Society.

Chopin's eyes couldn't help but drift to Arthur's hand, and when he saw the slender fingers, his inner restlessness was finally relieved, replaced by a ray of surprise.

Then your hands should be able to cross 12 degrees, right? This really seems like the basic conditions that a guy who can write "Bell" should have.

Just as Chopin was staring at those hands, he suddenly noticed them.

Arthur lightly put his business card in his jacket pocket and said with a smile: "Mr. Chopin, or, do you mind if I call you Frederick directly?" ”

(End of chapter)