The Shadow of Great Britain

149: Chapter 107: Science Leaps Forward 149: Chapter 107: Science Leaps Forward In the preparation room for the Royal Society’s lecture, Charles Wheatstone was covered in sweat, his lips pale, his shirt soaked.

The thought of standing on the podium and facing hundreds, perhaps thousands, of listeners tomorrow made his legs tremble uncontrollably.

Wheatstone sat in the chair for a while, but feeling restless, he stood up and paced the room.

However, it wasn’t long before his calves felt weak again.

Just this morning, he had felt in better physical condition than ever before, but now he felt as if death were not far off.

Wheatstone muttered, “Maybe I should find an opportunity to escape London until the Royal Society has forgotten about me, then come back?”

As Wheatstone was talking to himself, he heard a click; the bolted door was pushed open from the outside.

Startled, Wheatstone stepped back, nearly knocking over the floor mirror behind him.

He exclaimed, “Isn’t it too early for me?

I’m not supposed to go on stage until tomorrow.”

Glancing at the door, he saw a young man, whose build and attire seemed vaguely familiar.

The young man was clenching a pipe between his teeth, slightly lifting his wide-brimmed hat to expose his forehead, and greeted Wheatstone, “Good day, sir.

I’ve come specifically to apologize to you.”

“Is that you?!”

Wheatstone certainly recognized the fellow who had tripped him at the entrance of the academy not long ago.

If it weren’t for this youngster, he might have already fled this ‘Hell’ by now.

He originally wanted to give Arthur a piece of his mind, but upon realizing the difference in their physiques, Wheatstone wisely abandoned the idea.

In the face of someone he couldn’t beat, he chose to maintain peace.

Wheatstone sighed, “So, who exactly are you?”

Arthur removed his pipe, extended his hand in a friendly gesture, and said, “Arthur Hastings.

I heard from Mr.

Faraday that you might want to have a chat with me?”

“Hastings?

You’re Mr.

Hastings?”

Wheatstone slapped his forehead, “My God!

How could it be you?!

I…

I’m sorry, I just can’t associate you with the image of a thug who trips people up…”

Hearing this, Arthur touched his chin, amused, “Oh?

Is that so?

Didn’t Mr.

Faraday tell you that apart from being a researcher in electromagnetism, I’m also a police detective from Scotland Yard?

The difference between a detective and a thug might be that when we use violence, it’s lawful.”

Feeling embarrassed, Wheatstone scratched the back of his head and replied, “I had heard you were a detective from Scotland Yard, yes…

But Mr.

Faraday also told me you were very mild-mannered and polite, unlike most policemen.

So in my mind, you were supposed to look pale and tired, with an air of nobility about you…”

Arthur shrugged and responded, “If I may be frank, Mr.

Wheatstone, paleness and fatigue are sure signs of tuberculosis, not an air of nobility.

But I can understand your perspective, as that’s the current societal trend.

In novels, when describing nobility, they always write such things as ‘Her delicate neck was like that of a swan, her pale skin as lifeless as moonlight at midnight’, or ‘Her slender, beautiful hands and arms are perfectly proportioned, as if heraldry itself had marked her from birth’.

Such pathological descriptions have almost become clichés.

It’s indeed a strange society where those who are truly sick wish they weren’t, and those who aren’t sick wish they were.”

Wheatstone chuckled awkwardly, “I’m sorry, sir.

It’s my mistake.

I…

I’m not as articulate as you.

You may not know, but although they call me a scientist, I spend most of my life working in my family’s musical instrument workshop.

I communicate with violins more than I do with people.”

Arthur said with a smile, “I’m much like you, not particularly skilled with words.

You may not know, but although I am recognized as a devout Catholic, I spend most of my life walking through Hell, and I trade with the Devil far more often than I pray to God.”

“What…

what are you doing…”

Wheatstone sensed something wrong in Arthur’s tone and started to back away, his peripheral vision uncontrollably drifting to the door behind Arthur.

Arthur, of course, noticed his reaction and nonchalantly pulled out a flintlock pistol, slapping it onto the table in front of him.

Arthur said, “Mr.

Wheatstone, since you study acoustics, you must know that the speed of sound in air is 343 meters per second.

As I study bullets, I can also assure you that a bullet travels faster than sound.

If you don’t believe me, we can conduct an experiment right now.

After all, practice is the sole criterion for truth.”

Wheatstone’s Adam’s apple moved as he gulped heavily, “I…

You…

Are we currently discussing scientific principles?”

Arthur pulled out a chair and sat down, he took a drag on his cigarette and leisurely exhaled a plume of white smoke, “For now we are, but if you aren’t honest, that will soon change.

Although I may not surpass you in science, when it comes to the study of violence, ten of you are no match for me.”

Wheatstone took a deep breath and slightly raised his hands, “Alright…

okay, I’ll listen to you…

You…”

Before he could finish, Wheatstone suddenly made a dash for the door, but before he could leap over the doorstep, he heard the sound of a pistol’s safety catch being released behind him.

In that split second, Wheatstone dropped to the ground clutching his head and yelled, “Don’t shoot!

Don’t shoot!

You’re right!

Bullets are faster than sound!

Damn it!

Why must you insist on making me give a lecture?

I can do anything else!

Mr.

Hastings, how about I make you a violin and we call it even.”

As soon as Wheatstone finished speaking, the Devil beside him couldn’t help but whistle, “Ooh!

A violin!”

Arthur glanced at the Red Devil, who was visibly tempted, and said, “Sorry!

Mr.

Wheatstone.

According to Scotland Yard’s internal regulations, we cannot ask for anything from a good citizen.

Unless…”

“Unless what?” Wheatstone slowly turned around while squatting on the ground.

Arthur spun his pistol around and placed it back on the table, “Unless the gift is out of friendship.

If indeed there’s friendship between us, I might consider asking the Duke of Sussex for a small favor, such as postponing your lecture, after all, he still owes me a favor.”

“A violin could delay my lecture time?”

Wheatstone’s eyes brightened; he surged forward and seized Arthur’s hand, his face alight with excitement, “Oh!

Hastings…

no, my dear Arthur!

You are truly a righteous officer worth the public trust.

When citizens need you, you always show up by their side.

Mr.

Faraday was absolutely right, you possess not only a talent for science but also this golden personal character!”

Arthur shook his head while smoking, “Mr.

Wheatstone, don’t misunderstand.

Even if I help you, it’s not for the violin, but because of friendship.”

“Right, friendship!” Wheatstone chuckled stupidly, “Of course, it’s because of friendship, how could it be because of a violin?

Arthur, would you accept my friendship?”

The corner of Arthur’s mouth twitched up, the fish had leapt into his basket on their own, and he had no reason to refuse.

“Of course, my friend.

Of course, I’d accept your friendship.

Out of consideration between friends, I plan to invite you to join me for a banquet this Sunday evening in West London, I assume you have no reason to refuse?”

“A banquet?” Wheatstone’s smile froze suddenly, “Friendship is not a violin?”

Arthur had no intention of dragging this conversation, he leaned over and placed his hat on Wheatstone’s head.

“Mr.

Wheatstone, accepting your violin is me accepting your friendship.

And accepting my banquet invitation is you accepting my friendship.

Reciprocal gifting among friends, social courtesies between people, I cannot be in your debt.

Agreed?”

Wheatstone glanced at Arthur’s eyes glinting red and noticed the eerie smile at the corner of his mouth.

More importantly, with a gun pointed at the top of your head, it’s really hard to refuse.

Wheatstone forced a smile uglier than crying, nodded, and said, “Your friendship is really hard to refuse.”

Arthur patted his shoulder with a smile, “You’ll get to know me better in time.

Mr.

Wheatstone, you should know I’m quite good at socializing.

So, in return, I’ll delay your science lecture until next month.

During this period, I will train you in public speaking to help you overcome your fear.”

Wheatstone blinked back tears and asked, “Do you need to point a gun at me during the training too?”

“No, no, no.”

Arthur shook his finger, “The training is free of charge, and furthermore, if you can achieve a breakthrough in acoustics during this time, I might even help you overcome your fear of public speaking once and for all.

I’ve already heard Mr.

Faraday talk about your invention, the phonoscope.

If you combine it with the sound-producing principles of a music box, you might come up with something quite remarkable.”

Wheatstone was taken aback, and Arthur’s words sparked an idea in his mind; he felt he was on the verge of grasping something.

“You…

are you suggesting?”

Arthur asked with a smile, “Mr.

Wheatstone, since your phonoscope can present voice curve characteristics under different vibration modes, why not reverse the process?

In that case, couldn’t you just have a machine deliver the lecture without you having to stand on the podium?”