The Shadow of Great Britain

121: Chapter 81: The Proud Gaul Rooster 121: Chapter 81: The Proud Gaul Rooster In the Greenwich Police Station, a place Londoners normally avoided like the plague, became a hot spot journalists flocked to.

The reason for their frenzy was straightforward.

They had heard that the Frenchman rescued from international waters by the Royal Navy was now being protected there.

Nearly a hundred reporters from various newspapers big and small jammed the place to the extent that Arthur had to cancel the patrol duties of some officers and temporarily call them back to maintain order at the scene.

And in his office, Arthur also had to provide some last-minute training to the Frenchman before letting him go out for an interview.

Looking at the Great Dumas dressed in loose casual clothes and a tattered hat, he couldn’t help but shake his head and say, “Mr.

Dumas, what is that on your head?

Can that even be called a hat?”

Upon hearing this, the Great Dumas immediately retorted, “Oh!

Mr.

Hastings, what is that under your hat?

Can that even be called a brain?”

The quip from the Great Dumas immediately sent the Red Devil beside them into fits of laughter.

Arthur just shrugged helplessly, saying earnestly, “Mr.

Dumas, I didn’t come here to quarrel with you.

I’m merely stating a fact; you can’t go out to an interview with that kind of hat.

Otherwise, those reporters might see it and start embellishing stories, saying we’ve mistreated you.”

Great Dumas tapped on the desk and asked, “Are you saying you didn’t mistreat me?”

Arthur pinched his chin and recalled the collection of French jokes he had told over the past days, giving an embarrassed smile, “Those were all mental, at the very least we haven’t physically mistreated you.”

But the Great Dumas wasn’t ready to make amends after hearing this, he demanded sternly, “You must apologize to me on behalf of the Greater London Police Department and the Royal Navy for your prior actions!”

Upon hearing this, Arthur’s expression tangled slightly, “If I may be so blunt, Mr.

Dumas, neither Scotland Yard nor the Royal Navy has a precedent of surrendering to France.

But if you really need an apology, I suggest you find our Prime Minister, the Duke of Wellington.

Although the event is somewhat dated, after all, the Army did indeed surrender to the French.

You must remember, it was in Yorktown on the east coast of America, in the last century, 1781.”

After hearing this, the Great Dumas took a deep breath; he looked at the younger man and suddenly felt as though he had met his match.

This was the first time in his life he had encountered someone who could outwit him in a war of words.

He took off his tattered hat and said, “Alright, I’ll listen to you.

It’s not a big deal if I don’t wear a hat, it’s only you Brits who love wearing hats, after all, the majority of Brits just have to take off their hats for their shiny heads to blind people.”

Arthur nodded in profound agreement, “You truly are a great playwright; the words you speak are always so eloquent.”

Caught off guard, the Great Dumas asked, “How do you know I’m a playwright?”

Arthur, feigning embarrassment, replied, “Mr.

Dumas, I forgot to tell you, I really admire your talent.

I happened to have seen your extraordinary work ‘Henry III and His Courts.’ Not only is the play popular in Paris, but it has also reached London in the past couple of years.

I’ve seen it many times at the Old Vic Theatre, and each time it left a lasting impression.”

Such praise for the Great Dumas left him feeling bashful, he coughed twice and raised his head proudly, “It’s nothing special, just an ordinary play.

But I also deeply appreciate your support.

Gaining a fan on that little island across the Channel truly delights me.”

Hearing this, Arthur smoothly changed the subject, “However, there’s another French playwright I like even more.”

“Who?” The Great Dumas raised an eyebrow, “Voltaire?

Diderot?

Or perhaps Rousseau?”

Arthur shook his head slightly, “No, no, no, they’re too ancient for my taste.

I’m talking about a writer about your age, Victor Hugo.”

“You like Victor?” The Great Dumas thought for a moment and nodded, “That’s understandable.

After all, he wrote ‘Cromwell,’ and I’ve heard he’s quite popular in England.”

Now it was Arthur’s turn to be surprised, “You know him?”

“Of course!” the Great Dumas replied, “I’ve even dined with him; we’re casual friends but not particularly close.”

Upon hearing this, Arthur nonchalantly picked up a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Great Dumas shifted the topic to literature, and his aggressive tone noticeably softened.

He asked with interest, “Which of Victor’s works do you like the most?”

This question caught Arthur off guard.

He hadn’t read Hugo’s masterpiece “Cromwell,” mentioned by Dumas, and wasn’t sure if other famous works such as “Notre-Dame de Paris” had been published yet.

So, he could only vaguely respond, “Rather than saying which of Mr.

Hugo’s works I favor, I prefer to appreciate the brilliant lines within his books.

I’ve always believed that Mr.

Hugo’s talent in comedy is unparalleled by ordinary folks.”

Upon hearing this, Great Dumas immediately furrowed his brows, “You’re not just making this up, are you?

Victor writes historical plays, when did he ever write a comedy?”

Arthur shook his head, “You don’t understand, different texts can have different effects on different people.

You should know that Shakespeare once said, there are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people’s eyes.

In the eyes of the French, Mr.

Hugo writes drama and tragedy.

But to the English, Mr.

Hugo’s words can be quite comedic.”

“For example?” Great Dumas nodded slightly, as though he had thought of some writing technique.

Arthur began, “Take for instance the line—’All of Europe is attacking France, while the French are attacking Paris.’ What could be more tragic than that?

It’s an epic tragedy!

The French see it as a tragedy, but the British are all laughing uncontrollably.”

Great Dumas couldn’t help but clutch his throbbing head at this, hissing as he inhaled, wanting to object, but feeling any retort weak in the face of reality.

He sighed, “Forget it, I won’t quibble with you.

Which book of Victor’s is that line from?

I’ll have to find it and read it properly.”

Arthur didn’t answer but instead said, “You’d better go finish the interview.

If you don’t go out soon, I worry that this group of journalists might be ready to start smashing up the police station.”

Great Dumas was like a frostbitten eggplant, even his usually proud pompom hair drooped.

He asked, “During the interview, is there anything I need to be careful about?”

Arthur was taken aback by the question, “Why are you suddenly so cooperative?”

Great Dumas glared, annoyed, “What else can I do?

If I say the wrong thing, won’t I be sent back to France?”

Arthur joked, “Are you afraid the current King Louis Philippe will take your head?”

Great Dumas cast a complex look out the window at the drizzle and, after a long struggle, finally expressed his true feelings.

“Hmph!

I’m not afraid of him; he’s just a usurper.

I’m just worried that once I return, I’ll again be unable to resist inciting the great French people to attack Paris!”

Arthur also sighed with a smile, “Well then, I might as well accompany you to the interview.

I’m also worried that with your hot temper, you might get angry under the journalists’ pressing questions and accidentally say something you shouldn’t, which would be a big problem.

Oh yes, I must inform you, according to orders from the Home Office and Scotland Yard headquarters, you temporarily cannot stray far from the view of Greenwich Police District after the interview, at least not from my sight.”

“Why is that?” Great Dumas glanced up and down at Arthur, “Are you British police playing the same game as the French?

Ha, but I can understand.

After all, you learned these things from us.”

Arthur replied, “It’s not about learning or not learning.

I must tell you honestly, the reason we went through such great lengths to save your life is not because the Home Office and Scotland Yard are resolved to combat crime.

It’s because the higher-ups believe that you mustn’t die at the hands of the French.

If those who captured you had been ordinary slave traders, we probably wouldn’t have pursued you on the high seas, let alone deploy the Royal Navy.

So, while I will still be watching over you for your protection, my surveillance will be limited to ensuring that you do not fall into the hands of your compatriots.

If you encounter other crimes, we will still grant you the greatest freedom of choice.”

Having said this, Arthur paused, then asked with a smile, “Now tell me, do we at Scotland Yard still resemble the French military police to you?”

Great Dumas’s eyelids twitched, “Honestly, in some respects, you might be worse than the French military police.

Either don’t manage at all, or manage everything—what kind of devilish half-management is this?”

Arthur stood up from his chair and patted Great Dumas on the shoulder, “Come on, Mr.

Dumas.

This is Great Britain’s distinctive national character.

You’ll get used to it eventually.

The difference between the British and the French lies here.

Let’s go, let’s proceed with the interview.”