In the box of the Astrid Amphitheater, celebrities come and go.

Among the dignitaries, such as former parliamentarians or magistrates of Westminster, who can show off their status in front of the burghers, are now nobodies.

Former lawmaker Bernie Harrison and Magistrate George Norton huddled in this six-square-meter box, huddled in front of the window to watch the spectacular performance on the stage, where the protagonist of "The Count of Monte Cristo" Edmund Dantès was framed and arrested at his wedding.

When Norton saw this scene, he just frowned and whispered, "Dontès's fiancée, Plum Tess, is a slut, and I don't believe she has any knowledge of the plan to frame Dantes." After Dantes was framed, this bitch didn't even suspect it, but turned around and married her cousin, Fernand, one of the murderers who framed Dantes, and she married such a fisherman without any psychological pressure!

Dantes is really blind, how could he fall in love with such a ruthless Catalan bitch! As a shrewd and capable sailor, he became the first mate at a young age, but because he mistook a girl, he caused all his good years to be buried in the island prison. If it weren't for the help of a noble man like Father Faria, he would have rotted there for most of his life.

Scold! If Mr. Dumas doesn't arrange for Dantes to take revenge on this bitch in the rest of the story, I must write to the editorial office of the Brit to protest! ”

Harrison leaned against the table with his glass in hand, "Oh, George, it sounds like you haven't watched the latest episode of 'British.'" ”

Norton replied with a dark face, "I would have bought the latest issue, but the day before yesterday I had an argument with Caroline, and I threw a fork and plate at her, and she tore all my magazines and threw them into the fireplace like crazy. By the time I was in a good mood and wanted to buy another copy of "The British", the bookstore was full of sold-out signs. Damn it! Why can their sales be so good, if I want to say that this group of people is too cautious in their management, they can print a little more! If you have money or not, do the shareholders and owners of "British" have a problem with their brains? ”

Harrison heard Norton's barrage of negative energy speeches, and with the degree he knew his friend, he knew that with a few more words, he could get what he wanted.

He smiled and picked up the bottle and refilled some drinks for Norton: "George, according to me, you might as well stop watching the latest episode, otherwise you may be disappointed and angry." ”

"What's wrong?"

Norton took a sip of the wine in his glass, "I remember that the last issue was not a preview, will Dantes take revenge on his bitch fiancée, Plum Tess?" I've been waiting for this for a long time. Did Dantès ever kill the sons of Plum Tess and Fernand with a single shot in a duel? ”

Harrison shook his head with a smile, he sighed and said, "It's a pity, George, Plum Tess found Dontès to intercede before the duel, and our Count of Monte Cristo, Mr. Dantes, was a tough man, and he finally chose to spare this former fiancée and the son of the enemy. ”

"What?!"

Norton slammed his glass on the small table with a thud: "Bernie, I dare to swear that The Count of Monte Cristo is the worst book I've ever read!" Alexandre Dumas is a shameless man who cheats money with a pen! Damn, I used to think of him as a literary giant, and now he looks like he's no different from other wives chirping fashionistas!

I don't know who would be willing to praise his stinky feet, but he is definitely not a well-educated scholar, a philosopher, or an accomplished gentleman. Only the blacksmith with a sledgehammer and a horseshoe, the shopkeeper of a tailor's shop soaked in a pile of needlework, or the clerk of a small, impoverished and pretending company would lift him up to the sky. Lion of Paris, how did they come up with the nickname Dumas? ”

Harrison pretended to drink to hide his embarrassment: "George, don't be angry. Not everyone has been to London Zoo, and not everyone has seen the African savannah, so naturally not everyone understands what a lion looks like. But I agree with you, Dantès is indeed unladylike. It's like Socrates said: a good woman can turn a man into a happy person. A bad woman can turn a man into a philosopher. George, you're about to become a philosopher now. ”

When Norton heard this, he couldn't help laughing at himself: "Bernie, thank you for the compliment, but my philosophical level is completely incomparable to Socrates. The only thing he and I have in common is that we both married a. She doesn't understand anything, she doesn't understand anything, but she likes to be different from me on political views.

As the hostess of the Norton family, she only needs to treat the family gently and considerately, and receive guests decently and generously. But she likes to write her bullshit, and she wants to post her Whig views in social situations, and she likes to point fingers when it comes to children's education, and I really lose face!

Alas...... I was really dizzy at the prom, how could I fall in love with such a woman? Free love, I didn't know how stupid it was until now. If I had followed my family's arrangement and looked for a good relationship with other old Tory families, I might have been in the thick of things by now. And not after losing the election campaign, forced to move from the lower house to the court. ”

Harrison comforted: "George, look at what you said, the status of a judge is no lower than that of a councilor. As you know, in Britain, no one is allowed to interfere with the administration of justice, not even the Prime Minister. As long as it's above the courtroom, your word is the golden rule. Isn't that better than being reprimanded by a group of big people in the party? ”

Norton snorted, "Bernie, you're thinking too simply. If you don't want to improve, and only want to live in this position, coveting the thousand pounds a year and the pension after retirement, then indeed, you don't need to pay attention to the big men who are arrogant. You just have to be careful not to provoke His Majesty.

But if you want to go further, there is no difference between working in the courts and working in Parliament, and perhaps I can ignore the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Ministers on the surface, and just be accountable to the Royal Justice. But...... The appointment and dismissal of the Royal Chancellor is decided by the Prime Minister, so as long as I continue to want to move up, I will inevitably flatter them.

Bernie, I'm not yet thirty, do you think I should accept my fate at this age? I still have a long way to go. ”

When Harrison heard Norton's words, the palm of his hand holding the wine glass couldn't help but tighten, and he finally managed to clean up his mood and want to beat him, and asked instead, "George, no matter what, you are much better than me." Look at what I've become now, my political career is over, and the Tories have picked me up like jewels when they first received political donations from me, and now they abandon me because of a little mistake. It's just to meet a little personal need, and it's my own money that is spent, and as a result, you see, hehe, what have I become now? ”

Norton said, "Bernie, you were too careless. Why do you want to go to those who stand on the street? Aren't there a few regular brothels in London? The prostitutes in there...... Oh no, you can't call them prostitutes now.

Bernie, because of your case and the storm of public opinion behind the Bishop of Exeter, now we have to call them Liuying, or the Wind Dust Women, otherwise we are suspected of insulting the personalities of these ladies.

The gang of false Taoists in the council are the only time to act most quickly, and they have to enact a special bill to clearly stipulate the name. It's as if with a different name, there are no prostitutes in London. ”

Harrison endured him for a long time, and finally couldn't help but say: "That's right, George, you are different from them, you can do practical things." When the Oxford Prostitution Bill was introduced in Parliament, you, an outstanding graduate of Oxford, took the lead.

Ordinary prostitutes and street prostitutes who wander on public pavements, streets or roads within the jurisdiction of the University of Oxford, without sufficient justification for proving their lawful purpose, shall be regarded as unlawful idlers and shall be guilty of an offence and shall be arrested in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Wanderlust Act 1824 and shall be punished by imprisonment with hard labour for a term not exceeding one month.

Look at what this law provides, it is clear, the words are clear, and there is no ambiguity in the scope of interpretation, which makes the most of your studies at Lincoln's Bar, and also clears the moral hazard and the risk of illness for your younger generations studying at Oxford. Before I quit the Tories, many of the new Oxford-educated candidates couldn't help but give you a thumbs up when they mentioned you.

Sir Peel has no eyes to reprimand you for being a right-hand man like you, and you will turn to the legal profession. The Tories lost you as much of an impact as they did when they lost Viscount Palmerston. ”

Norton was a little fluttering, and he said modestly: "I'm ashamed, I just did a small thing." But I also deeply regret that I cannot continue to be in Parliament and shine for Britain. When I was a student at Oxford, I was deeply affected by these prostitutes...... Uh, no, the harm of the wind and dust woman.

I remember when I first entered Oxford, and before I even set foot on campus, groups of ladies came up and grabbed my arm, and said a series of enthusiastic compliments asking me if I needed help, while the imps who followed their ass took the opportunity to take care of your belongings, and these ladies themselves usually had very clean hands.

At that time, I was still a student, and as the saying goes, 'not in his position, not in his politics', so I just had to take care of myself. But now that I have become a member of the Legislature, I naturally have to make great efforts to rectify this bad habit. ”

Harrison applauded again and again: "It's you, George, you have ideals and abilities. ”

I don't know if it's the effect of alcohol or Norton is praised for not being able to tell the difference between east and west, north and south, he said with a big mouth: "Tsk...... However, I seem to have had a fate with prostitutes in my life, first took the lead in introducing this bill in parliament, and unfortunately married a faceless prostitute when I got married. Caroline's bitch, she was all played by the Viscount of Melbourne, but she still naively thought that she had really found love. Oh, does she think Melbourne is a good person? ”

Harrison heard Norton mention his wife, so he continued: "Anyway, didn't you say before that you wanted Caroline to help you run the matter of going to the London District Prosecutor's Office?" How's that going? ”

When Norton heard this, his mood that had just improved instantly fell back to the bottom: "If she succeeds, will I hold on to her behavior?" As you know, Bernie, I'm usually more open-minded. If Caroline really doesn't feel right to stay with me, then she can go for what she wants, but only if her actions don't affect me.

But now, it was clear that she must have said something bad in the ear of the Viscount of Melbourne. It stands to reason that the position of magistrate is much more favourable than that of the London District Prosecutor's Office. If it weren't for the fact that I wanted to make a big career and see my long-term development, I wouldn't have actively sought to give up the high salary of a judge and go to work in such a new department.

It stands to reason that going from high to low should work well. But I was inexplicably rejected repeatedly, and I really couldn't think of any other possibilities than Caroline blowing wind in the ears of the Viscount of Melbourne. I really don't know, what can she do for her husband like this? Not to mention, she also tore up my "British"! ”

Harrison saw that the atmosphere was almost brewing, and finally confided the words he had been brewing for a long time.

"George, it turns out that for the sake of your family harmony and marital stability, I don't want to say this. But hearing you say that, I don't think I, as a good friend of yours, can watch you fall into this mud. ”

Norton lifted his glass and paused lightly: "Bernie, you mean ......"

"Hoo ......"

Harrison took off his hat and rubbed his hair, "Okay, George, I'm not going to hide it from you." In fact, when I first entered the theater, I saw Caroline and the Viscount of Melbourne. They were on the third floor, and I had been to the Astrid Theatre before, so ...... You know, the box on the third floor is with a lounge, and the inside is ...... Well...... There is a bed, I think it should be enough for two people. ”

Harrison had thought that Norton would be furious after saying this.

But what he didn't expect was that a smile actually appeared on the other party's face.

Harrison felt a little infiltrating, and he asked, "George, are you mad?" ”

Norton shook his head lightly and said, "No, Bernie, I've been mentally prepared for this for a long time. Although I questioned Caroline myself, she did not admit it, and I never caught any crucial evidence. In addition, the Viscount of Melbourne had been quite kind to me before, which made me feel that he might be of some use to me.

But unfortunately, I have to admit that I may have been overly careful. He probably thought he was thinking of me George Norton as some kind of soft persimmon, and he thought he could refuse my request casually. Since he's determined to do it, I don't mind giving him some color. ”

Harrison asked, "What are you going to do?" ”

Norton spoke, "Actually, I've been keeping an eye on Caroline's every move in the morning, and I know that she locked all the letterheads between her and Melbourne in a box in the attic. I found someone to get a key some time ago, and I saw everything in the box. I have to say that these two immoral and dishonorable dog men and women are really careful, and the words in the letter are really vague, maybe they are guarding me early in the morning. They think that if they do this, I can't do anything about them. But thank you, Bernie, for doing me a great favor today. Let's go and see if they are really that innocent. ”

Harrison asked, "What if they are indeed innocent?" ”

Norton took out a handkerchief and covered it to his mouth and spit: "Then don't I still have those letterheads?" Everyone really wants to tear their faces, and I'm not afraid of them. ”

Harrison nodded slightly, "Okay, George, you just need to figure everything out." ”

"I've figured it out." Norton scoffed and said, "It's just Melbourne that I haven't figured out now." It's just a matter of stuffing a prosecutor at the London District Prosecutor's Office, is it that difficult to do? ”

With that, Norton walked out of the box with Harrison.

I heard a click, and the door closed softly.

In the silence, only the rustling of the tape recorder could be heard.

After a while, the box door opened again, and Louis Bonaparte calmly walked to the closet and pressed the stop button, and he held the small wooden box and looked at it for a long time, before pinching his chin and nodding slightly.

"It's the right time to come to work in the Police Intelligence Bureau, and you can meet new surprises every day. Whether it was Fouché, the former Minister of Police of the French Empire, or Vidocq of the current Security Brigade of the Paris Police Department, none of them should have seen such a magical gadget, right? Arthur Hastings, mastering core technology. Tsk, for that alone, he really didn't brag. ”

(End of chapter)