In the ballroom, Gladstone sat in the corner with a red wine glass and looked a little absent-minded.

He looked at the young face reflected in the blood-red liquor, and shook his head with one hand on his forehead.

He muttered to himself, "William, what have you done?" You declare to your voters that you want to rid the government of corruption, but today you are watching a corruption case happen before your eyes. And you, who are not going to do anything, have you not failed the expectations of Sir Peel and the Duke of Newcastle by doing so? ”

At this, he couldn't help but rub his face with his hands until his cheeks were apple-colored, and he felt a little better in his heart.

Just as he was about to go out to breathe, suddenly he caught a glimpse of a beautiful red and black dress coming to him.

Gladstone was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head and slowly looked up, it was the girl he had been thinking of for a long time, Miss Catherine Roswell.

Catherine also looked a little nervous, her hands folded on her abdomen, as if she wanted to learn from the mature ladies who were at home in social places.

But a little girl who had just turned 17 couldn't pretend to look at that calm in any case, and no amount of expensive and delicate white makeup could cover the blush of shame on her cheeks, let alone the lace gloves that had been so nervous that she pulled out the wrinkles.

"Wei ...... William, are you just watching me stand here in shame? ”

"Ah......h

Gladstone, who had not yet come to his senses, was stunned and replied, "I'm sorry, Catherine, you're probably tired of standing, why don't you sit next to me?" You look like you need a little sherry, so I'm going to pour you a glass. ”

When Catherine heard this, she looked at Gladstone with shame and anger.

If it weren't for hearing that Gladstone would be here for a dance today, and her own father was grinding hard, she wouldn't have said anything that she would have come to this place that made people panic.

And in order to wait for Gladstone to invite her to dance for the first time, she even rejected several ignorant suitors in a row.

However, she waited in the ballroom for a long time, but Gladstone did not come forward.

Later, she even found that the young master had disappeared directly.

Had it not been for the old pocket watch Mr. Roswell who prevented the girl from coming home, and the valets who would not have dared to disobey the master's orders, Miss Catherine would have fallen asleep in the big bed of her own bedroom by this time.

However, when Gladstone did not come, Catherine finally made up her mind to take the initiative, but received such a reply, which could not help but make the conservative Miss Catherine feel insulted.

Mr. Roswell, who had been keeping an eye on the situation, realized that the situation was not right, and hurriedly said goodbye to his friends and ran to the round.

Mr. Roswell hurried to his daughter, who was on the verge of collapse, and first whispered a reassuring word: "Don't be angry, my dear, William and his father have an important business to do today. He may be dizzy from business talks, and I don't think he has invited the ladies to dance, so the spot must be reserved for you. ”

After that, the old pocket watch moved two hands along the scale with a smile on his face and walked to Gladstone, ticking and matching the pair of social newcomers.

"William, why don't you invite Catherine to do a dance? She doesn't have a dance partner tonight. It would be rude to leave a lady without company at the ball. ”

When Gladstone heard this, Elm's head finally opened, and he hurriedly got up and said, "Ah! Katherine, sorry. I...... I wanted to invite you to dance, but I just ...... I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, so much happened just now, my mind is too messy. ”

Catherine saw that Gladstone was not deliberately embarrassing herself, and the rich lady, who already had a crush on him, quickly unraveled the knots in her heart.

Instead, she began to wonder what could make the usually calm Gladstone look like this.

She boldly sat down beside Gladstone: "William, what's wrong with you?" ”

Mr. Roswell saw that the two slow-burning newcomers were finally in shape, and the old pocket watch quickly hid itself back in his pocket.

He stepped back step by step, encouraging the newcomers as he retreated: "Yes, it's also good to have a chat to get to know each other, and you don't always need to dance to socialize." William, remember, don't mention the Bank of England's interest rate hikes, and don't mention the Levant and the Americas' business. Unless you're not trying to attract a beautiful girl like Catherine, but an old man like me who smells of copper. ”

When Catherine heard this, she just glared at her father.

Gladstone, on the other hand, was unaware of these small movements, or was aware of them but did not take the initiative to say them.

He also moved his ass to Catherine's side, the scent of beauty rushed into his nose, the young and vigorous hormones attacked, and the head that was a little clear just now soon became dizzy again.

"Hmm...... Actually, it's not a big deal. I just can't get past my father's conversation with Superintendent Hastings......"

When Catherine heard this, she nodded sympathetically: "I don't like my father's speech very much sometimes, just like ...... Of course, William, I'm not talking about the part that is directed at you. ”

"It's fine against me." Gladstone smiled self-deprecatingly, "Actually, I've been quite a failure this year. I was not convinced at the time when I lost the party primaries to a Jew, but now it seems that there is a reason why he was able to defeat me. He may seem pompous in his expression, but at least he is more pragmatic in his choice of platform than I am. ”

Seeing that he was so discouraged, Catherine opened her mouth to comfort: "William, don't say that, remember when you were a child? You say to me: People, always have to look up to something. Pragmatism is good, but I always feel that it is synonymous with vulgarity. ”

Gladstone smiled: "Catherine, that sentence was not said by me, it was said by Kant. And he didn't just say this, he also said: with the curved wood of human nature, nothing straight can be made. ”

Catherine nodded, "I know it was Kant who said it, but it was you who said this to me for the first time, and that was enough." ”

"Catherine ......"

Gladstone looked at the beauty beside him, and was a little distracted for a while: "Thank you...... Thank you for always being so understanding. Thanks to you though, I feel much better now. I...... I ......"

Gladstone was about to continue, but his father's admonition flashed through his mind.

He was silent for a while with his mouth half-open, and Catherine couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong with you?" Is it because you are not feeling well? ”

"Nothing."

Gladstone laughed, "Normally, in social situations, it is gentlemen who accommodate ladies. But now it's your turn to take care of my mood, how can that work? I heard Mr. Roswell say that you love life in London, you love the music, the paintings, the architecture, and so on. By the way, do you know gramophones? I came back from London with a couple of gramophone records. Although the record doesn't sound as good as a concert, it's good enough to relieve boredom. I'll send it to you tomorrow. ”

Catherine couldn't help but be surprised when she heard this: "So you also like to listen to records?" When the phonograph was first released in London, my father sent someone to get one, but I didn't have that many records at home, just a few tunes. Although they all sound good, I get tired of listening to them every day. ”

"Really? Looks like I've bought the right gift. Gladstone smiled and asked, "Which pianist's music do you like?" Mendelssohn, Barth, Moscheles or Clementy? Let me guess if it could be Hastings? Everyone says you're quiet, but I know there's a warm heart hidden beneath your quiet exterior, and Mr. Hastings' The Bell is just right for you. ”

Catherine smiled and replied, "William, you really know me. Of the records I have at home, my favorite is "The Bell." It took me a month or two to learn it, but the effect was nowhere near as strong as that of Mr. Hastings. Then again, is Mr. Hastings really planning to retire from the piano world? He's so young, and he still has a lot of time to compose more excellent songs! ”

Gladstone couldn't help but think about teasing Catherine, and he replied with a smile: "Maybe it's because Mr. Hastings met Mr. Chopin?" You've probably seen the report of the farewell concert, right? Mr. Hastings said that he did not have the confidence to continue playing in the presence of Chopin, and that since he could not do his best, he might as well give up the stage to a brighter musical star. ”

Catherine couldn't help but sigh: "What a romantic person. His music career was short, but it was also legendary. A "Bell" announced his birth, while Chopin's "To Hastings" became his curtain call. But if Mr. Hastings is not playing the piano anymore, what will he do for his living in the future? Pianists like him generally start learning music at a very young age, so to speak, they don't know how to do anything but play the piano, and they can't take care of themselves. I really hope that the record of "Bell" can bring him enough income, otherwise he will have to starve and freeze in the future. ”

When Gladstone heard this, his mind couldn't help but think of the image of his father sending Arthur a large box of money, and he was choked for a moment.

He took a deep breath and replied, "Catherine, you're still so kind. But you don't have to worry about Mr. Hastings' livelihood, he's an outlier among musicians. Playing the piano was only a hobby, his main job was a senior superintendent of police at Scotland Yard, and he had just been sent to Liverpool to investigate smuggling. ”

"Senior Superintendent? Check smuggling? ”

Catherine was stunned for a moment, then thought of something.

The rich lady's eyes widened, and she turned her head to look at the smoking room on the left: "So ...... said"

"That's right." Gladstone smiled wryly, "That's the one in the smoking room." ”

"Oh my God!" Catherine clutched her heaving chest, not knowing whether she was excited or excited: "I'll have to tell Sophia and Vivien, they're going to faint with joy." William, you know what? Both of them were avid fans of Mr. Hastings. ”

Gladstone was puzzled: "I don't have to understand that Mr. Hastings has fans, but it shouldn't be to the point of fanaticism, right?" After all, as a pianist, his works are still too few for the time being. ”

Catherine shook her head and said, "William, have you forgotten Sophia and Vivien's interest?" In addition to music, they also loved natural philosophy, especially in the most cutting-edge fields. They say that Mr. Hastings was not only a brilliant pianist, but also a young master in the field of electromagnetism, and that he had published several papers in the monthly journal of the Royal Society, and that he had co-signed with Mr. Faraday. With such a character, can the two of them not be fanatical?

As you know, they were fanatical enough about Mr. Faraday before. Before the railroad began, they would take a horse-drawn carriage to London every once in a while to attend Mr. Faraday's lectures. After the opening of the railway, as long as Mr. Faraday appeared, they would not be left behind. I've heard that last year they also bought a property in London, near Greysam College, where the Royal Society is located, just to make it easier to attend lectures. ”

Gladstone couldn't help but take a sip of sherry, "So they do have reason to be fanatical about Mr. Hastings, and I think they could be a little more fanatical." After all, in addition to being a researcher of electromagnetism and a pianist, he had just represented Britain in defeating the Parisian sword saint Bertrand. Do you see the sword at his waist? It was given by His Majesty the King. ”

Catherine couldn't contain her excitement, and she asked, "Will you introduce me to Mr. Hastings later?" ”

As soon as Gladstone heard this, he couldn't help but feel a little awkward in his heart: "You...... Do you like him a lot? ”

Catherine looked at Gladstone's reluctant expression, feeling a little happy on the one hand, and a little proud on the other, and she said angrily, "William, I want to introduce him to Vivien and Sophia. Of course...... Personally, I have some caution, but ...... Not male or female, I remember he knew Monsieur Chopin very well, right?

In fact, "The Bell" is only the second in my mind, and my favorite is "To Hastings" by Monsieur Chopin. I wanted to ask him to ask me about it, and although it was a bit rude, I really wanted a copy of Mr. Chopin's score to Hastings, and it would have been nice if it had his autograph. ”

"I see!"

Gladstone's mood instantly improved when he heard this: "Catherine, don't worry, this matter is on me." Even if I try my best, I will get you back such a thing. But what I didn't expect was that your taste was actually on the same level as royalty. Do you know? Before I returned to Liverpool, I heard that His Majesty seemed to be planning to invite Mr. Chopin to the post of Royal Pianist, and that the King and Queen were completely conquered by Chopin's music. ”

When Catherine heard this, her soft eyes also shone a lot: "William, you are really an angel......"

She was only halfway through her words of thanks, but her eyes caught a glimpse of how many more people seemed to be in front of the door of the smoking room.

The daughter's taste is high, and the father's taste is naturally not low.

Mr. Pocket Watch not only kept an eye on the dynamics of his daughter and Chenglong's son-in-law, but even took the time to paced outside the smoking room to get close to Arthur and others who had just come out.

"Mr. Hastings, you had no idea that you were wearing a Roseville pocket watch, and you had a unique eye for choosing one of the best brands in London. What do you think? Our pocket watches are much easier to use than ordinary low-end goods, right? ”

Arthur mused, "Hmm...... Actually, it wasn't me who was the only one who was discerning, but a friend of mine recommended it to me. He likes Roseville's bespoke service, and although there are many pocket watch brands in London, there are not many that can pull down his face to help him engrave the pattern he wants on the inside of the pocket watch. ”

Alexandre Dumas chimed in: "That's right, Elder's pocket watch is worth a fortune. So much so that he didn't dare to take out the time in public, and every time he wanted to take a look at what time it was, he had to find a corner where no one was around, and open the gap to taste it carefully. ”

Heine took the pocket watch from Arthur's hand and looked at it twice: "Is the Roswell pocket watch so good?" Then why don't I also order a piece here, the poor quality of German pocket watches is simply outrageous, and I used Swiss goods before. Mr. Roswell, you can take these three gini coins first, and if they are not enough, I can add more. Listen to my movements, all the clinking, all gold coins, I don't miss this money. ”

Louis raised his eyebrows and smiled: "Heinrich, the gold coin is already in his pocket." You should be able to keep your mouth shut this time, right? ”

Heine weighed the weight of the pocket watch in his hand: "In London, I mainly scolded Germany and France, and the problem of Britain will be discussed when I return to Paris." ”

Louis shrugged when he heard this: "Okay, then back in Paris, you should at least remember to add anonymity." ”

Heine raised his pocket watch to the chandelier, looked at the gilded layer on it and said, "For the sake of the pocket watch, I agreed to this little request." By the way, can my article be published in Britain? ”

Arthur began, "Of course, but it may need to be revised a few more times, with a detailed analysis of corruption in other countries." ”

"Okay." Heine pouted: "On the plus side, this is at least much more relaxed than the publishing environment in Austria and Germany." In Austria, even if you talk about other countries, they think you're insinuating, yin and yang. ”

Alexandre Dumas asked, "Isn't it?" ”

"So what?" Heine emphasized: "At least I didn't directly scold Metternich for having German hemorrhoids on his ass and urinary incontinence. ”

When Roswell heard this, he smiled and was about to continue with a few compliments.

Unexpectedly, there was a sudden commotion in front of the ballroom, and several servants in charge of guarding were rudely blocking a man who was trying to break free and rush into the room, and behind the man stood a shivering young man.

"Sir, I warn you one last time, this is a private ball, and if you are not among the guests, you must not enter this place."

"Let me in, I want to see Mr. Hastings! I'm going to say something so much more important than this damn ball, it's going to save a lot of lives! ”

"What the hell are you guys talking about? Don't hurry up and get this person out! ”

"I'm sorry, Mr. Walker, but we're going to do it. Damn it! You bastard, you can't listen to you if you talk well, can you? Then don't blame us for being unkind! ”

The man shouted angrily, "Mr. Hastings, I want to see Mr. Hastings!" ”

Seeing that the man was about to be lifted up by the guard and thrown out the door, Arthur stepped forward and put his hand on the guard's body: "It's so cold, let him come in and have a drink." There's still a lot of time tonight, so there's no need to rush out to catch guests. ”

(End of chapter)