The Shadow of Great Britain

130: Chapter 89 Ripples from the Butterfly Named Arthur 130: Chapter 89 Ripples from the Butterfly Named Arthur Lionel stood in the trading hall, sipping his coffee as he watched Arthur and his party leave.

Once he was sure that Arthur had gone far away, he waved to an old servant with white hair standing behind him and asked, “Why would the Duke of Wellington suddenly requisition rooms in the Regency Crescent?

It doesn’t seem like him, as he always wanted to keep a certain distance from us, didn’t he?”

The old servant quietly read, “Your father mentioned that it’s an emergency.

A very prestigious guest has come from across the Channel, and the Duke of Wellington couldn’t find a suitable house on such short notice, so he had his officers come to us for a little help.”

“Across the Channel?” Lionel took a sip of his coffee, thought for a moment, and asked, “Is the guest from France?”

The old servant nodded slightly, “Not just that, but this guest has also just abdicated, so he’s full of anger.

It really wouldn’t be right not to arrange a first-rate room for him.”

“Ah…” Lionel’s mind gradually cleared up, “It seems that this guest is that annoying Charles?

Isn’t he the one who often gives Uncle James a hard time in Paris?

After all that fuss, he still has the gall to seek our housing services?”

The old servant shook his head and said, “Young master, it would be best not to refer to a former king in that manner.

Although he has lost his power, there’s no telling if he might make a comeback.”

“A comeback?” Lionel scoffed, “The Frenchman in the Regency Crescent planning a comeback isn’t just him.

By the way, which room in the Crescent is that Joseph staying in?”

The old servant opened the document he was holding, glanced through it, and his expression quickly turned strange.

With a headache, he rested his hand on his forehead and said, “Joseph Bonaparte is staying right next door to him.”

Upon hearing this, Lionel burst into laughter, startling all the customers in the trading hall who all looked over in surprise.

Lionel took out a handkerchief to wipe away the tears from laughing and spoke.

“My, my…

there will be some fun now, one a brother of Napoleon, the other Charles, dethroned king of the Bourbon Dynasty of France.

This must be God’s arrangement; it’s all predestined.

There’s no need to go to Paris to witness a French civil war, every day there’s such drama in the Regency Crescent.

I really can’t wait to see the look on their faces when they meet.

Even the best playwright probably couldn’t come up with a scenario like this.

Arthur probably still has no idea that his humble act of yielding the Regency Crescent has brought such a delightful surprise to the world.”

The old servant added, “Even if Mr.

Hastings hadn’t given way, the upcoming plot would still have been fascinating.

Have you forgotten?

That Mr.

Dumas at his side, his father is the black Devil who followed Napoleon, General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas.

If he meets Joseph Bonaparte, it would surely be an enactment of a real-life magical story.”

At this, Lionel suddenly snapped his fingers, “You wouldn’t have brought that up, I almost forgot.

Right, write a letter to Uncle James for me.

Tell him, we’ve decided not to continue with the business of helping the French government find someone suitable to kidnap Mr.

Dumas back to their country.

If Fred couldn’t do it, let it be.

Let’s put an end to this matter.”

The old servant nodded slightly, “That’s indeed a wise choice.

To win King Louis Philippe’s trust, there should be plenty of ways in Paris, without having to take such risks.”

Lionel shook his head at this and said, “You’re right, but that’s not the only reason.

The most important thing is, Police Superintendent Hastings, no, perhaps it would be better to call him Chief Inspector Hastings.

Hmm…

still not right, I should say my friend Arthur has frankly accepted my friendship, and I shouldn’t make things difficult for him, should I?”

The old servant hesitated after hearing this, “But sir, wouldn’t this conflict with the Rothschild family’s consistent upper-class approach?

The rank of a Police Superintendent at Scotland Yard is indeed not low, but is it really worth your while to spend so much effort on him?”

Upon hearing this, a smile on Lionel’s face gradually cooled, “Do you know about my father’s recent visit to Duke Wellington?”

“I do,” the old servant nodded slightly, “The master went to Downing Street No.

10 in high spirits, but when he returned, he seemed dispirited.

I noticed that his hands were trembling during dinner, even unable to hold a fork properly.

Since I have been with the Rothschild family here in London, I haven’t once seen Mr.

Nathan in such a state.”

Lionel took a deep breath and asked, “Then do you know why he was like that?”

The servant shook his head, “I don’t know.”

A look of indignation crossed Lionel’s face, “All these years we have strived to maintain good relations with the Royals and key members of the Tory Party, supporting them financially in every way.

But now, even the political restrictions on Catholics and dissenters within the National Church have been lifted whereas the rights relevant to Jews remain unchanged.

So, my father, for this cause, took the Jewish Emancipation Petition signed by tens of thousands of Jews and paid a special visit to Duke Wellington to talk about these issues.

But what was the result?

Can you guess what Duke Wellington said to my father?

He said, ‘I will not let the government make any commitments regarding the emancipation of Jews, and I strongly advise postponing the submission of the Jewish emancipation application to Parliament.

If you insist on not doing so, the related risks and consequences that may arise will have to be borne by the involved community itself, and I will not make any promises of protection for you.’”

Having gotten this far, Lionel paused, took a deep breath, and looking at the servant, asked, “So, do you now understand why I want to bet on my new friend?

The result of the Rothschild’s twenty or thirty years of upper-class management in Britain is this.

It shows that the upper-class approach alone, at least in Britain, is simply not feasible.

We need not only the friendship of great figures like Duke Wellington but also the friendship of rising stars from humble beginnings like Arthur.

To maintain friendships with great figures, we need to spend tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds each year.

For a rising star like Arthur, it might only take a loan of 350 pounds and a few minor pieces of information.

Of course, this might also require a bit of inconsequential emotion from me.

I am tired of seeing my father grovel before those powerful figures.

Rather than catering to them without limits, I prefer to enjoy a conversation and do business with someone like Arthur, who is willing to meet me as an equal.”

Lionel put on his hat, straightened his clothes, and then addressed the servant.

“This afternoon, go and take care of Arthur’s property deed, and have it delivered to the Greenwich police station before twilight.

In a couple of days, deliver a letter to his residence for me; I plan to invite him to join my hunting club.

I’ve had enough of flattering those old hunters who are about to meet God.

Compared to them, I much prefer spending time with younger friends.”

The old servant inquired, “Is this also to win Mr.

Hastings’s friendship?”

“No!” Lionel seemed a bit angry, “It’s just for fun.

Can’t you stop being like my father for once?

Don’t make my life so utilitarian.

Arthur seems alright, and his company is surely better than mixing with those arrogant old men.

I must find some joy for myself in life!”

Having said this, Lionel strode out of the trading hall in a huff.

“Master!” the old servant called out to him, but Lionel didn’t even acknowledge it.

Seeing this, the old servant could only shake his head helplessly, “Still not mature enough.

The men of the Rothschild family cannot afford to be so childish.”

…

As dusk fell and the sun set, a public carriage, its roof piled high with luggage, squeezed four burly men into its cabin.

Eld whistled and said with a grin, “Arthur!

Your new home is actually at Lancaster Gate, not far from my uncle’s place.”

Arthur, leaning against the window, replied half-heartedly, “Alright, alright, I know you live in Meier, just a two-step jaunt from Buckingham Palace, and one glance from your windowsill to spot St.

James’s Park.”

Upon hearing this, Eld retorted with wide eyes, “Arthur, I wasn’t planning on showing off today!”

Arthur glanced at him and said, “Does that mean you were in the past?”

Eld, laughing, poked him in the chest, “Can’t you be less petty?

That’s my uncle’s wealth, not mine.

By the way, let’s discuss something.

I want to move in with you, alright?”

“Sure thing!” Arthur agreed without a second thought.

Eld’s face lit up with surprise, “Really?”

Arthur nodded and then flipped through the loan document before extending his hand towards Eld, “Rent is 3 pounds 8 shillings per month.”

“Are you joking?” Eld’s eyes bulged, “I thought I was living in gold!

Two shillings a week is the most I can give.”

Arthur scoffed, “Fine, then you can live in the washroom.”

Eld pleaded, “Arthur, don’t be so heartless.

For the sake of our friendship, how about three shillings a week?”

Arthur stared at him for a while before nodding reluctantly, “It’s not easy to get a bargain off you.”

“You agreed?” Eld, flustered, pulled out two one-pound notes from his pocket and stuffed them into Arthur’s hand, “I’ll pay for thirteen weeks upfront.

The extra shilling can be a gift from me.”

Seeing this, Darwin scratched his somewhat balding head and likewise took out two notes, “It’s that cheap?

I’ll rent a room too.”

Arthur, holding the four one-pound notes, glanced sideways at Great Dumas, “Fatty, what about you?”

Great Dumas responded, “Mine?

It would be an honour for you to have me stay at your place, you ungrateful Brit.”

At that, Arthur sighed and shook his head, “Do you know why the British dislike the French?”

“Why?”

Arthur tucked the banknotes into his coat, “Because the French don’t know the meaning of modesty.”

“Modesty?” Great Dumas scoffed, patting his chest, “No one’s more modest than the French!”

Eld couldn’t help but laugh heartily, pointing at him, “Right, right, that’s exactly what we mean.”

The four men chatted and laughed along the way, when suddenly, the carriage came to an abrupt halt.

Great Dumas, unable to hold back his momentum, ended up pinning Eld underneath him.

Eld, unable to bear the weight, roared, “Fatty!

Get off me now!”

Arthur, meanwhile, knocked on the front window and asked the coachman, “Sir, what’s going on?”

The coachman, apologetically doffing his hat, replied, “There’s a bit of a jam up ahead, may have to wait a bit.”

“Where are we now?”

“Marble Arch.

If you’re in a hurry, you could get off here.

Given the fine stature of the four gentlemen, carrying this luggage to Lancaster Gate shouldn’t pose a problem.”

Arthur poked his head out to take a look and indeed saw a long queue ahead.

He sighed and said to his companions, “Alright, let’s get off here then.

We can walk the rest of the way; consider it a bit of exercise for our bodies.”

The four men opened the carriage door and began unloading their luggage.

As soon as they had unburdened themselves, an impassioned speech reached Arthur’s ears.

Turning to look, across the railing on the opposite street in Hyde Park, stood a young man in a black tailcoat, delivering an enthusiastic speech to his audience.

Regrettably, his speaking talents seemed far more abundant than his scant audience.

“I don’t care about parties; I stand here independently, without the support of any party.

Yet at the same time, I am conservative, advocating the preservation of everything good in our system.

Moreover, I am a radical, rigorously demanding the eradication of all that’s wrong with our system!

Ladies and gentlemen, please vote for me, voting for me is voting for the future of Great Britain!”